Nairobi, Aug. 9 -- Young people are full of energy, ideas and an unwavering belief that tomorrow can be better than today. As the generation that will inherit the consequences of climate change, they are also among the best placed to develop solutions that make communities more resilient while creating new economic opportunities.

Kenya's challenge is no longer whether young people have brilliant ideas. It is whether the country is willing to invest in them.That question came into sharp focus last week as the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) awarded Sh31.5 million to seven youth-led enterprises through the Young Environmentalist Innovation Challenge.

Drawn from more than 700 applications across the country, the winners are t...