Mombasa Plastics Prize Incubators (MPP) have gathered for their final showcase ahead of International Plastic Free Day, commemorated on 3rd July to highlight the innovative strides made by local enterprises that have made exceptional contributions in recycling over 20 tonnes of waste and generating 545 green jobs for Mombasa Youth.
The showcase marks the culmination of a rigorous 9-month incubation period where these start-ups have been equipped with critical skills to spearhead sustainable, community-focused businesses aimed at combating marine plastic pollution.
Speaking at the ‘MPP Incubator Enterprise Showcase held at Sarova Whitesands, the Chief Financial Officer of Close the Gap, Ngosa Mupela said that it has been an honor to help the youth in the Mombasa Plastic Prize to make viable businesses through the plastic they collect and convert into different useful products.
He said that they work one-on-one with the businesses to identify the gaps that they have within their business case, impact, and social cases. He noted that they help them fill their gaps, develop strategies to move forward and be able to market and make sales.
He added that despite being a long process, the innovation groups are now viable businesses and are fully in the market, having made revenue, collectively approximating Sh500, 000 in less than 6 months.
“We mainly focus on reducing ocean plastic within our community and doing it through enterprise development has been the best way to do it,” Mupela said.
He noted that some of the impressive innovations were from ‘Plastech’ as they convert plastic into biogas for cooking. He explained that this is a very difficult and technical innovation as they are yet to get the Government’s approval. He also commended “twende green’ which converts plastic waste into furniture for schools.
Lavender Odeng’ representing Proportion Global Team, said that these local enterprises started as rough ideas and were taken through Human Center design where they were able to brainstorm and validate their ideas to the community and surveys.
She added that through the Human Centre design process, they were able to refine their businesses from working prototypes into businesses that have brought great impact into the community and have promoted impact engagement within households in the County.
“They have been able to collect over 20 tonnes of plastic through beach clean-ups and collection initiatives. Different teams have been able to collect different revenue resources but the highest revenue collected by a single team is Sh100, 000 within the past 6 months,” Odeng’ said.
Naomi Whitbourn, leading the Mombasa Plastic Prize, who represented NESTA, the UK-based Innovation Foundation said that it has been an extraordinary process nurturing these enterprises, growing stronger and stronger.
Whitbourn said that they are now in the process of identifying potential future funding to take the enterprises to greater heights.
“The Mombasa County Government has been an extraordinary support of the Mombasa Plastic Prize and has also identified several MPP teams that they want to actively and collaboratively work with,” she said.
By Fatma Said
