Youth Awarded Seed Capital for Waste Management Enterprises

March 17, 2022

Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Hon. Moses Vilakati, and UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Rose Ssebatindira, pose with the winners of the Innovation Challenge. Photo Credit: UNDP Eswatini/Mantoe Phakathi

Nine youths were awarded a total of E400 000 ($26 732) seed capital after they were invited to submit waste management solutions that will create job opportunities under the UNDP-supported Waste for Livelihoods Innovation Challenge. The winners submitted solutions for managing agricultural, electronic and plastic waste in support of the country’s efforts to establish an economy that encourages recycling.

Among the winners are Todvwa Mkhweli (35) and Lindokuhle Dludlu (29) who are both running Computer Literacy for All, an enterprise that focuses on the recycling and refurbishment of computers. Their enterprise won E70 000 ($4 674) under the Tested Solutions Category.

“To start this business, we were inspired by the fact that people were sitting with many old computers which they did not know what to do with yet tertiary students do not have them because they’re expensive,” said Dludlu.

He said since 2019 they have been knocking on people’s doors asking for old computers which they refurbished and sold to tertiary students at a lower price.

“But COVID hit us hard in 2020 just when we were gaining momentum. We were no longer able to visit offices to ask for the old computers owing to the lockdown which slowed down our business because we no longer had the raw material,” he said.

Therefore, he said they will use the grant to kickstart the business by investing in transport to help in the collection of the raw material. They were awarded in the same category as Steam of Life Investment, also involved in electronic waste management, which received the same amount.

Nothando Masuku (25) and Menzi Mabuza (23) represented PT Experto, an enterprise that recycles plastic waste to make construction materials such as pavers, bricks and tiles.

“We started this business as a project for a group of 10 students at the University of Eswatini who were determined to solve the plastic waste challenge in the country while creating jobs for ourselves,” said Masuku. The students have since graduated and they are banking their hopes on the enterprise for a source of livelihood because at least seven of them have not been successful with finding employment.

PT Experto together with five other winners, all with plastic waste management solutions, were awarded the first prize under the Ideas Category and each received E45 000 ($3 000). The second prize went to Ntsika Kota who received E15 000 ($1 000) while Akhona Fakudze representing Swazi Organics was awarded E10 000 ($668) for the third prize.

The event, held at the Royal Villas Hotel, was graced by the Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Hon. Moses Vilakati, who said the project allows the country to adopt a holistic waste management approach by creating an economy that encourages recycling to minimize pollution, revive lost livelihoods and build resilience for communities, particularly women and youth. He also commended UNDP for the continued partnership in the management of environmental resources.  

“UNDP has continuously proven to be a worthy development partner for the country in solving numerous developmental challenges such as waste management and the bolstering of the livelihoods of our nation,” said Hon. Vilakati.

The Innovation Challenge is part of the Waste for Livelihoods Project launched last year after the kingdom was awarded E9 Million ($600 000) from the UNDP COVID-19 Rapid Facility in February 2021. This project is implemented through Eswatini Environment Authority (EEA) and supports MSMEs, particularly the youth and women, in the waste management sector to build forward better after they lost income as a result of the COVID-19.

It aligns with the Kingdom of Eswatini’s Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan and the UNDP Country Programme Document (2021-2025) which prioritise locally developed innovations and solutions for enhancing employment of women, youth and persons with disabilities while moving towards an economy that encourages recycling.

Besides the cash prizes the winners will be expected to participate in training and capacity-building sessions that will help them develop business plans, seek additional funds for their projects and turn the proposals into viable businesses.

Speaking at the award ceremony, UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Rose Ssebatindira, said about 80 applications were received following a call for the challenge which demonstrates the potential of the waste sector to scale up on interventions and to inspire more partnerships and collaboration.

“The purpose of the innovation challenge was to raise awareness on turning waste into a resource and solicit innovative ideas and solutions which have the dual potential of creating new jobs while improving waste management systems in Eswatini,” said Ms. Ssebatindira.

Most of the awardees submitted solutions for plastic waste which contributes to the UNDP-supported Phatsa Sakho Nawe Campaign that has contributed to the country’s plastic waste management initiatives.