Deadline Date: March 13, 2026
The United Nations Development Programme is now accepting grant applications to turn mobile and electronic waste into innovative solutions that generate employment and support climate action.
The program focuses on the collection, repair, refurbishment, reuse, or recycling of mobile devices, safe handling and processing of end-of-life mobile devices and components, recovery of valuable materials using environmentally responsible methods, awareness, behavior change, and community engagement on responsible device use and disposal, and enterprise, cooperative, or digital models that support circular innovation.
Globally, electronic waste generation reached 62 million tonnes in 2022 and is projected to rise to 82 million tonnes by 2030, yet less than 1% of rare earth elements are recovered from discarded mobile phones. This represents a loss of valuable resources while environmental and health risks continue to grow.
In Sierra Leone, used electronic devices remain relatively low at approximately 0.5 kg per person, but urban centers like Freetown face challenges due to the lack of structured systems for collection, transportation, reuse, and recycling, with only 30% of waste safely managed. Improper handling of old phones, solar batteries, and other devices can release harmful substances into the environment.
UNDP Sierra Leone invites youth-led entities—including MSMEs, student teams, youth cooperatives, youth associations, and other organized youth groups—to submit Concept Notes for bold and creative ideas that advance mobile circularity. Projects should demonstrate potential for environmental impact, youth employment, local value creation, and scalability.
This initiative encourages young innovators to lead the change by developing sustainable, innovative, and practical solutions that transform mobile and electronic waste challenges into opportunities for economic and environmental progress in Sierra Leone.
For more information, visit UNDP.
