Social enterprises intensify effort to encourage businesses from waste. There is the continuous growth of businesses in the green and circular economy space.
Officials say promoting businesses in a circular economy is a strategic approach to preserving the environment.
A social enterprise, Recycle Up Ghana, is therefore empowering and offering support to young entrepreneurs to develop businesses from waste management.
Executive Director at Recycle Up Ghana, Abdul Rahim Shaibu, tells LUV BIZ such initiatives contribute to reducing the unemployment situation among the youth.
Executive Director at Recycle Up Ghana, Abdul Rahim Shaibu
“Young entrepreneurs are the driving force behind social and ecological innovations. To tackle Ghana’s plastic waste problem, we need to see these materials as a resource, rather than something that gets disposed of,” he said.
Abdul Rahim Shaibu believes the youth have a better understanding of solving these issues.
“We source these young talents and help them get funds. The start-ups are developed into small groups. They undergo extensive in-depth training model validation to funding readiness,” he said.
Three out of Eight groups of young entrepreneurs whose pitches were accepted will undergo a six-month incubation period to fully develop their business ideas.
One of the graduating start-up pitching
The start-ups are led by young founders and supported by experienced mentors.
The graduating incubator cohort are;
AP Verde – Aquaponic systems for sustainable agriculture.
Ilymar Kreation– creating Household doormats from recycled materials.
Style and Glamour– Eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging solutions.
Vert Power – Affordable and eco-friendly biodigesters.
Cocozu – Recycling coconut husks into various products.
Plastikus – Collection, sorting and recycling of plastic bottles.
Vara Wudiu – Livestock feed produced from agricultural waste.
Was Tek – converting broken fridges to poultry incubators.
Three businesses won cash prizes of 5000, 3000 and 2000 cedis respectively.
Style and Glamour won the ultimate cash price.
The winning start-up, Style And Glamour, receiving prize
They have introduced the use of paper bags as an alternative to the use of polythene bags.
According to the team leader, automating their work is a major challenge.
Recycle Up Ghana believes in empowering the youth to develop local solutions to environmental and societal problems.
The initiative is supported by Afrilabs, Digital Africa, AFD and Brot fur die Weit.
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