Uganda - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

The Ecosan Hub is a community-based sustainable sanitation and energy solution for communities. The facility leverages advanced technologies to reduce waste and pollution, promoting a healthier environment, towards a cleaner and greener future.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

There is a very high demand of clean water to promote a healthy living and maintain a clean environment. The Kampala City suburbs are faced with a challenge of waste (human and organic) management that tends to affect their livelihoods in many various ways. The Ecosan hub provides sustainable sanitation services while generating economic opportunities. It emphasizes resource recovery (water, energy, nutrients) and closed-loop systems. Integrated with innovative technology (Artificial Intelligence and IoT sensors), the Ecosan Hub treats wastewater, produces biogas and nutrient-rich fertilizer. Integrates with organic waste management, sustainable agriculture and circular economy systems. Scalable, replicable and data-driven. Empowers communities, reduces environmental pollution and promotes public health.

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

The EcoSan Hub tackles a problem of inadequate sanitation and waste (human and organic) management in urban and subburb areas leading to environmental pollution, public health risks, and wasted resources. Existing solutions are centralised, expensive and inefficient. There is need for a decentralised, community-driven approach that recovers biogas, and nutrient-rich fertilisers etc. from waste, promotes circular economy principles ( reduce, reuse, recycle, regenerate, sharing, product-as-a-service, closed loop). These human and organic waste streams are typically sent to the Ecosan Hub for treatment , processing , and resource recovery, rather than being discharged into the environment or sent to landfills.

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

1. Improved public health through safe treatment and management of human waste and organic matter, reducing the risk of waterborne diseases and environmental pollution. 2. Recovery of valuable resources like water, biogas and nutrients reducing waste disposal costs. 3. Reduced environmental pollution through decentralised treatment and management of waste. 4. Cost-effective, scalable financially viable alternative to traditional centralised sanitation systems. 5. Community empowerment through job creation, promoting education fostering ownership.

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

The project majorly aims to help the local people in the city suburbs of Kampala City that are being affected by sewage and lack clean water.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2023-07-03

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

1

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

3

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

Name: Nakadde Sharon Title: Technical Lead Education: Masters Degree in Civil Engineering, University in China. Skills: Expertise in water and waste water treatment technologies, strong background in environmental engineering and science, experience in designing and implementing decentralised water treatment systems. Experience: 5+ years of experience in water and sanitation sector

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

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

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

1. Job creation: By establishing a decentralised sanitation system. The project creates job opportunities in the sanitation sector. 2. Income generation through the sale of recovered resources (energy, nutrients) reducing economic vulnerability and poverty. 3. Reduced expenses by providing affordable sanitation services. 4. Empowerment through education.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

1.Nutrient recovery: converting waste into valuable fertilizers for agriculture. 2.Sustainable agriculture supporting eco-friendly food systems.

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

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

1.Safe sanitation 2.Hygiene promotion 3.Water quality improvement 4. Reduced environmental health risks 5.Community health education

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

1. Education and raising awareness about sustainable sanitation, hygiene and resource recovery. 2.Capacity building programs and training of community members ensuring they have the necessary skills. 3.Innovative learning opportunities such as hands on learning, providing the youth with opportunities to explore sustainable sanitation

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

1. Equal access to sanitation regardless of the gender. 2. Women empowerment through training and creating job opportunities.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

1. Safe and dignified sanitation 2. water recovery and reuse 3. Water quality improvement 4. Increased access to clean water 5. Sustainable sanitation and water management

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

1. Renewable energy generation through biogas production from human and organic waste. 2. Energy self-sufficiency increasing energy security. 3.Energy access for community members. 4.Clean energy for cooking and lighting. 5. Sustainable energy management.

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

1. Job creation 2.Entrepreneurship and innovation 3.Improved productivity 4. Sustainable infrastructure development

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

1. Use of innovative technology 2. Industrial symbiosis 3. Infrastructure development

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

1. Inclusive design for diverse users. 2. Community engagement and participation 3.Equal access to sanitation and energy

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

1. Sustainable urban planning 2. Green infrastructure 3. Waste reduction and management 4. Resilient and adaptive infrastructure

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

1. Closed-loop systems 2.Circular economy approach promoting the reuse and recycling of materials 3. Reducing environmental impacts 4. Promoting sustainable lifestyles

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

1. Renewable energy genration 2.Carbon footprint reduction 3.Sustainable land use and management 4. Education and awareness on climate change

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

1. Water pollution reduction 2. Conservation of aquatic ecosystems

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

1. Sustainable land use and management 2. Conservation of biodiversity 3. Sustainable agriculture practices

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

3

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

5

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

1. Global cooperation and solidarity 2. Multi-Stakeholder partnerships 3. Resource mobilisation and financing

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

3

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

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

2

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

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

3

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

4

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

3

05.08 Justification

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

Generally there are no potential competitors. Because it's mainly NGOs that help the local people. I stand out because of the technological development ideas I intend to use.

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

Yes. To mainly empower the disabled women and girls. 1. Training and capacity building 2. Mentorship and networking 3. Role models and Ambassadors promotions