Tanzania - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Mkaa Okra is a manufacturing business that produces and supplies charcoal briquettes that is environmental friendly, burns longer and at an affordable rates. Our briquettes are produced from agricultural wastes.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Mkaa Okra is a manufacturing business that aims at producing charcoal briquettes that burns longer and at an affordable rate to consumers. Ohr briquettes burn longer in comparison to traditional charcoal since with only 3 kilograms of our briquettes you will be able to boil beans and cook a meal.

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

We are addressing the challenge of rapid deforestation that is done for the production of traditional charcoal. 10 tones of bushes has to cut down for the production of a single ton of traditional charcoal. Furthermore traditional charcoal is not clean energy for cooking as it has high rate of carbon emission and not environmental friendly.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

Zero carbon emission. Promotes clean cooking energy Reduce cost of cooking energy Promote sustainable production of charcoal

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

We aim at serving our community especially low income families who spend more than 35% of their total income to purchase biomass fuel for cooking which is not clean and safe for their health and environments in general.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-01-10

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

1

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

0

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

1.Canson Frank Kimaro. Founder and Production Manager. SKILLS: Communication, Negotiation, Motivation, Leadership, Creativity and Team work EXPERIENCE: Working for 2 years as Sales and Marketing at RASI FM, Tanzania Telecommunication Corporation Ltd and Libazon Tanzania. Six (6) months as Business Development Manager at My Legacy. Currently managing Mkaa Okra. 2. Justine Bahati Justine. Business Development and Product Manager. SKILLS: Communication, Leadership, Strategic, Customer Centric, Innovative, Creative. EXPERIENCE: Serial entrepreneur with more than 5 years experience working with various startups as Business Development and Marketing Officer and Product Manager.

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

https://www.instagram.com/mkaaokra_tz/

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

a) Energy (equipment, services, sustainable energy and fuel)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

6

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

Studies shows poor families spend abiut 35% of their income on cooking energy, with mkaa okra briquettes this cost can be cut by

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

5

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

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

6

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

Our briquettes meets tier 4 emission standard which makes it cleaner cooking fuel for indoor use, this reduces number of deaths and health problems related to the use of traditional biomass fuel ie charcoal and firewood

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

3

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

Women spend most of their time in kitchen preparing meals for their families and fetch firewoods (in rural areas) hence promoting access to clean cooking energy mean empowering them

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

3

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

Mkaa okra is more affordable compared to traditional charcoal also it more sustainable in terms of production

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

Most of charcoal business is conducted in illegal value chain, use of Mkaa okra will not only promote creation of new jobs but also promote legalization of charcoal business

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

6

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

Use of briquettes instead of traditional charcoal promotes sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

4

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

5

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

Urban are major consumer of charcoal, the use of mkaa okra will promote sustainable, safe and resilient communities

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

We employ principles of circular to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns of biomass fuel particularly charcoal

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

Deforestation is one among major fator that accelerates climate changes, understanding this we urgently need to reduce if not stopping the rapid cutting down of trees for production of biomass fuel and shift to more sustainable technique with less or no impact on climate changes such as briquetting

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

4

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

Briquetting promotes sustainable forests management, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

4

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

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

4

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

6

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

5

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

5

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

7 - Strongly Agree

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.08 Justification

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

Electrical stoves, LPG, Traditional Charcoal

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

Yes. By encouraging them to take action and not to feel inferior in anything .