Nadia Ewen

Pioneered sustainable waste management in Lebanon during economic crisis

Nadia Ewen is a Lebanese environmental entrepreneur who founded Zay Initiative in 2020 to transform Lebanon's waste crisis into economic opportunity. Facing one of the worst economic collapses in modern history and a collapsed waste management system, she developed an innovative circular economy model that collects recyclables from marginalized communities while creating dignified jobs. Her work directly addresses the 1.5 million tons of uncollected waste plaguing Beirut by establishing 40+ collection points and training over 200 waste pickers. Zay's unique 'Waste-to-Wealth' model has diverted 90% of collected materials from landfills while generating income for low-income families. Ewen's approach combines cutting-edge blockchain technology for waste tracking with community empowerment programs, creating a replicable model for post-crisis economies. Featured in Green Prophet and NPR, her work has inspired similar initiatives across Mediterranean countries facing similar challenges. Ewen's TEDx talk Turning Lebanon's Waste Crisis Into Opportunity has over 500k views, showcasing her vision for systemic change through grassroots innovation.