A young engineer from Yemen hopes his UN prize-winning project to convert food waste into “green” energy will help reduce the staggering rate of cholera in his country.

Omer Badokhon is one of six winners of the Young Champions of the Earth prize presented by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and materials science company, Covestro.

Yemen is in the grip of the world’s worst cholera outbreak, with more than half a million cases. Transmission of the waterborne disease is linked to poor access to clean water and sanitation.

Omer has designed a device to create a clean fuel known as biogas from organic waste, such as food scraps thrown in the street or in public dumps.

The 28-year-old spoke to May Yaacoub from Nairobi, where he was presented with the award which provides $15,000 in seed funding as well as mentorship.

Duration: 5’03”