July 16-19, 2024. For four days in Nairobi, we sat with the dreamers, daredevils, visionaries, creatives. They were some of the main acts of Kenya’s waste economy. We brainstormed, networked, shared ideas and experiences, compared notes, agreed, disagreed, unlearned, learned, and relearned.
Gathered under the banner of the Sustainable Waste Innovation for a Future in Transition (SWIFT) programme, the bootcamp sought to impart critical business skills and knowledge to enable the cohort of 57 waste entrepreneurs commercialize and scale their businesses.
“Such forums enable entrepreneurs to improve their business models and unlock innovative ways to scale. From what we are seeing, there’s a lot of collaboration and information sharing that needs to happen within the waste space, especially from the public sector. More sensitization and standardization will enhance efficiency and quality control,” said Jabez Mutune, SWIFT Programme Manager.
The Program is being implemented by Kenya Climate Innovation Center in partnership with the IKEA Foundation, with the objective of transforming the waste management sector in Kenya through tailored support to waste entrepreneurs and policy strengthening. It seeks to accelerate the country’s transition to a circular, green, and inclusive economy.
During the four-day bootcamp, the waste management sector in Kenya was unpacked, outlining opportunities, circular economy principles, trends, and technologies, as well as making comparisons with international markets.
The entrepreneurs were taken through market expansion strategies, brand positioning, legal framework around waste management, ESG reporting and impact measurement, as well as the nuances of carbon trading. Karanu Muchiri from the Kenya Revenue Authority covered tax regulations, compliance, and the use of eTIMS, in a session that that was replete with light bulb moments and demystification of false narratives. The bootcamp was punctuated with a deep dive on gender mainstreaming and safeguarding, by Janani Loum, and occupational health and safety training by Davis Ochillo.
“We can see there’s huge innovation around waste management, but most of the enterprises are still small scale. There’s a need to invest in commercialization, and I am glad the entrepreneurs have appreciated that there’s more to business success than just financing,” remarked Saumu Ismail, a Program Coordinator at KCIC.
“This bootcamp has been an eye-opener. Little did I know the preparedness that a company must undergo before being deemed investor ready. There’s a lot more than simply having a story and proving your case. I’ve made new friends and explored avenues of collaboration. There’s room for us to grow collectively if we come together,” said Raj Kent, the founder of Alternative Energy Systems Ltd.
In his remarks, IKEA Foundation Program Manager, Patrick Obonyo asserted that nurturing green entrepreneurship in the waste management sector will not only positively impact economic growth but also environmental and societal wellbeing as a whole.
“As a foundation, our main focus is to help people create a better life and protect the planet. Today the world faces two critical challenges, inequality and climate change. We cannot continue with business practices that brought us immense challenges and expect changes,” said Patrick. He was accompanied by IKEA Foundation’s Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation Manager, Nic van der Jagt.
When the curtains came down on the four-day bootcamp, it was clear that Kenya is not short of innovations and enterprises in the waste management sector. Startups and established companies alike are investing in recycling technologies, upcycling, waste value addition, sustainable product designs, and waste-to-energy projects. Entrepreneur support organizations have also steadily emerged in the recent past, playing a critical role in fostering an ecosystem where circular economy principles can thrive.
The road nonetheless remains bumpy, with several roadblocks and stop signs. Other parts of the road are unmarked, some sections foggy and misty, blurring the vision ahead. Infrastructure and technology gaps, low environmental awareness and education, lack of comprehensive policy frameworks, and unfavourable market dynamics continue to slow the march to a circular, green, and inclusive economy.
The collective recognition that this transition is a shared responsibility was perhaps the greatest outcome of the bootcamp. The need for a multistakeholder collaboration was underscored, where actors come to the table to seek solutions that work for all, not just a section of the value chain or a single institution. So then, let’s clear the roadblocks, shall we?
