Ayuntamiento de Hermosillo

The city of Hermosillo won $1 million toward a innovative recycling program called "biciclando."

Leaders in Hermosillo, the capital of neighboring Sonora, Mexico, are celebrating a $1 million grant that will go toward an innovative recycling program called “biciclando”: a bike-based recycling program meant to address two major issues — high levels of unemployment among women, and low rates of recycling in the city.

It’s one of 15 projects chosen as part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Mayors Challenge — a competition to support promising innovations around the world.

Mayor Antonio Astiazarán announced the win in a video posted to social media. He says biciclando is a citizen-led innovation. It offers home recycling collection by a team of women on e-cargo bikes.

The grant provides $1 million as well as technical support and training to implement the project.

Phoenix is also among the 15 selected cities. It’s project aims to connect job seekers with employers through a project using "Career Mobility Units" that provide training, translation services and other resources to people looking for jobs.