Kenya - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

To address the effects of climate change brought about by use of synthetic fiber-made products, Bafiex Products Enterprises extracts natural ecofriendly banana fibers from the banana pseudo-stem.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

Bafiex is focusing on extraction of eco-friendly natural banana fiber as an alternative to the synthetic fiber. The fiber easily decomposes and adds fertility to the soil. When burnt, banana fiber reduces to ashes used as organic fertilizer for the crops in the farm. The extracted banana fiber is used in making of braids, weaves, wigs in fashion industry, fiber for making pillows and cushions in furniture industry, yarn for use in the textile industry and also fiber mats and other decors in the cottage industry The startup has created 5 direct jobs and hundreds of indirect jobs involved in the extraction cycle. Moreover, the project has also increased the acreage under banana plantation. Incentivizing the farmers motivates them to plant more bananas hence assuring the sustainability of our project and food security. Empowering the farmers and the unemployed youths through income earned helps us in improving their living standards and that of their immediate family members.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Today every dumping site you pass-by is made of landfills due to poor disposal of synthetic fiber-made braids, wigs, weaves, pillows and cushions, and handcrafts which never decompose. When these fibers come into contact with the soil, it loses it biodiversity. Moreover, burning them poses climate risks as they emit greenhouses gases that contribute towards climate change. To address the effects of climate change, it is therefore these two reasons that agitated the need for extraction and use of biodegradable and natural fibers from the banana pseudo-stems that are environmental friendly as an alternative.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

The braids, wigs and weaves made from the banana pseudo-stems can be disposed into the farms and they can decompose easily adding fertility to the soil. Moreover, their burning can also reduce them to ashes that is applied as organic fertilizers to the crops grown in the farm. The products made from the natural banana fiber are also eco-friendly hence they help us protect our environment from the negative effects of climate change posed by the use of the non-biodegradable synthetic fibers. Besides, we also look forward to exporting the natural banana fiber to other countries of the world hence earning the Kenya foreign exchange. This shall also help us in spreading the use of natural fibers to the rest of the world in the move of embracing natural fibers as a way of protecting our climate. The consumption of our natural-fiber made products will help us in creating job opportunities to the unemployed Kenyan youths. It will also help us in ensuring food security is assured.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

Hair, clothes, handcrafts, pillows, cushions etc. being one of the most relied on products by most families means a large clientele base for us. We are therefore targeting fashion, textile, cottage and furniture industries that majorly rely on the use of fiber in making their products. Girls and women between ages 5-35 and above are mostly the ones who will consume these products and therefore look forward to serving a clientele base of approximately 20 million customers in the Kenyan.

01.05 When was your company established?

2022-05-29

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

No

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

2

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

1

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

1. Denis Kithinji Operations, Research and Development Manager Professional Nurse 2. Fridah Kaguri Sales and Marketing Manager Professional in Hospitality and Hotel Management

01.10 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link(s) here:

https://www.youthsfortheboychild.org/site/programs , https://www.youtube.com/@youthsfortheboychildorgani2762

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

b) Materials (agriculture, fishing, chemical products, construction materials, containers and packaging, metals and mining, paper and forest products)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

Bafiex Products enterprises is empowering smallholder banana farmers by buying them the banana pseudo stems that they used to waste in the farm. This means that they are able to earn from the banana fruit, leaves and also banana stem hence improving their living standards and that of their immediate family members hence eradicating poverty. Moreover Jobs created in our extraction cycle means employment of the unemployed youths hence improved living standards of our youths. This also translates to reduced dependency on the working population hence eradicating poverty.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

Bafiex has improved the acreage under banana farming as more farmers are subscribing to sell the banana pseudo stems to our extraction site. This translates to increased production of banana fruit which means increased matoke food and fruits at our disposal hence assuring food security in Kenya

02.03.01 My startup contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

5

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

The Banana fruits is good for vitamin and matoke is good for the bones due to calcium presence. Planting Banana means increased food and fruits from the banana at our disposal hence good health and well being of our people.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

5

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

Bafiex is also offering apprenticeship to the unemployed youths to help in increasing our production of the natural banana fiber.

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

5

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

Bafiex is aiming at creating more job opportunities to the ladies to ensure we make refined products that they need as they form the biggest number of clientele to consume our products.

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

Not applicable

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

3

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

Not applicable

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

Bafiex is creating job opportunities to the unemployed youths in our extraction cycle. The decent pay offered to these youths is meant to help them be financially stable and also to meet the needs of their family members hence spurring economic growth as we shall have improved their purchasing power that wasn't there before.

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

3

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

Not applicable

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

3

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

Not applicabel

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

3

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

Not applicable

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

3

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

Not applicable

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

Bafiex is focusing on extraction of Banana Fiber which is natural and biodegradable as an alternative to the synthetic fiber. Banana Fiber decomposes easily adding fertility to the soil hence it poor disposal and burning will add fertility to the soil unlike synthetic fiber that emits greenhouse gases and if poorly disposed leads to landfills and loss of soil biodiversity.

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

Not applicable

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

5

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

Bafiex products are able to rot and therefore their poor disposal on land wouldn't amount to landfills and will also add soil fertility. This means there wouldn't be a case of land pollution as is in the case of synthetic fiber.

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

2

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

Not Applicable

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

We look forward to partnering with Textile, Fashion, Furniture and Cottage Industries in ensuring we produce enough natural fiber for their use.

06.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

6

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

3

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

3

06.06 The product/service responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

3

06.08 Justification for my startup

Bafiex hair is a natural fiber made hair from the banana fiber. The hair can easily decompose as it is biodegradable. The natural fiber extracted from the banana is meant to make eco-friendly products that can protect our climate.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

My main competitors are Darling Hair. Unique Proposition The fact that our banana extracted fibers are biodegradable and less harmful to the environment makes it a good replacement for the synthetic fibers. Even if the banana fiber made product is poorly disposed it will add fertility to the soil whether burnt or rained on and rots in the farm. Market Dominance Selling the bio fibers at a relative cheaper price as banana stems for extraction are readily available helps in dominating a large clientele of customers who have now become environmental conscious.

11.05 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

I am partnering with the cosmetic shops and salons which are majorly owned by the female entrepreneurs in refining my natural banana fiber made products such as hair.