Waste Around Young Entrepreneur Inspired Him
Starting His Own Waste Recycling Company.
Qinisani Qali Ndlovu, the founder of Umhlaba Waste Recycling, was inspired to start his business in 2014 by the vast amount of waste around him. He decided to focus on waste management and enrolled in an urban management degree with a focus on the topic in 2016.
His business is now guided by best international standards, particularly when it comes to circular economy and lean methods of management.
“Well, basically I was inspired by negatives, you know, 2014. I just sat down and I said to myself, What business can I start? And I looked around and there was a lot of waste. I said, Maybe let me look at waste,” said Ndlovu.
Waste Management Degree
He added, “2016 that is when I enrolled at Lupane State University in an urban management degree and my key focus was on waste management and yeah, so basically that is what inspired me and how I started this business. Well, efficiency now operations are definitely guided by best international standards.”
Community Involvement
The company is also working on a waste tech platform to aid community involvement and participation in the recycling process.
The biggest challenge for this startup has been changing the mindset regarding waste. Many people do not view waste as valuable, which limits the ability to recycle and can lead to more waste being produced.
Challenges
Another challenge is the neglect of the “people, planet, profit” mantra by some industry peers, who value profit over sustainable recycling programs. In addition to these challenges, funding, resources, and basic infrastructure also pose issues for waste management programs.
Despite these challenges, Umhlaba waste recycling plans to set an example for other companies by being people-centred and innovative. The company prioritizes the safety and well-being of its workers, and plans to monetize its knowledge by creating waste management plans for companies and sporting facilities. Umhlaba also plans to set up recycling plants around the country and have a digital presence in the future.
Measuring Success
Measuring the success of the waste management and recycling program will involve evaluating the cleanliness of the environment, wider participation from the community, recycling rates, level of awareness raised, and overall impact on society.
Ndlovu sees himself scaling up globally and influencing policy regarding sustainable packaging and product redesign. With a commitment to sustainability and a focus on community involvement and education, Umhlaba waste recycling is poised to make a significant impact on the recycling industry and promote a cleaner environment for all.
Scaling Up
Ndlovu said, “I see myself scaling up and I see myself involved in a lot of the big surveys, let’s say plastic producers, Nestle’s cold callers.”
GoFundMe for Bulawayo Recycling Academy
Qinisani has started a GoFundMe campaign to purchase machinery for the Bulawayo Recycling Academy.
The academy, which is only a few weeks old, aims to train people in waste management and recycling to start their own enterprises.
Raising Awareness
“The main objective of the Bulawayo Recycling Academy is to raise awareness about the benefits of the circular economy and increase the recycling rate in Zimbabwe, while also involving the community in cleaning up their environment,” Ndlovu said.
Additionally, Ndlovu hopes to unlock value in waste management and solve environmental problems for the benefit of the community.
Objectives of the Campaign
The GoFundMe campaign is targeted at purchasing an extruder to complete the production line in the workshop. Ndlovu has encountered challenges with the buy-in from the community, lack of disposable income, and the issue of electricity and water shortages in Zimbabwe.
However, Ndlovu has already set in motion triggers that have involved the youth in the community. He employs mostly youths from the ghetto area on a permanent and contractual basis, and has partnered with Christian Brothers College and Girls College to promote environmentally friendly practices.
Building from Recycled Plastics
Moreover, Ndlovu is also in talks with clients to construct a 100% recycled vending stall by the end of the year and plans to expand the academy to other regions in Zimbabwe and even Central Africa Republic, Kenya, and Zambia.
People interested in getting involved can contact Ndlovu through WhatsApp, Instagram, or the Bulawayo Recycling Academy website. Ndlovu is also in the process of launching a platform for community involvement.
Furthermore, Ndlovu’s inspiring initiative has already gained attention and support on social media. His drive to make a positive impact on the environment and the community serves as a reminder of the power of entrepreneurship and community involvement to affect positive change.
In 2022 he manufactured a plastic shredder from scratch which processes plastic bottles and produces pellets, these are then heated through a process called extrusion. This innovation was awarded a 1st Runnerup award in the African Influencer Awards Top innovator of the year category.
However their production line is incomplete, in place of a shredder they use a home made oven. Their waste quantities have doubled in the last 8 months, and the oven has no capacity to handle all their waste.
He is appealing for financial assistance to add a second machine to their plant that can help extrude plastic better. The end goal is to collect waste from communities in Bulawayo through a hybrid model that he termed Franchised Waste Management.
Lastly, Ndlovu believes that if this model is successful, it can be rolled out and create independent recycling centres across the country. Their startup is located in the Hillside area in Bulawayo,
#News in Bulawayo #News in Zimbabwe Artist Arts BCC Bulawayo Bulawayo City Council Bulawayo Drugs Bulawayo economy Bulawayo industry Bulawayo news Bulawayo Police Bulawayo Water Bulawayo Water Crisis Bulawayo Women entrepreneurship Business Women Community Culture Currency Drug Abuse Drugs Economy Farmer Farmers Farming Informal Sector Informal Traders MSMEs Music News in Bulawayo News in Zimbabwe Police Police in Bulawayo Vendor Vendors water Water Crisis Water Shortage water supply issue Women entrepreneurship ZESA Zimbabwean economy Zimbabwe news Zimbabwe water crisis ZITF ZRP
Our stories told by us!
Join us for all News in Bulawayo.
Comments 1