South Africa - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Epic Green Solutions is a social and eco inclusive entity that is youth owned by South African citizen and it's strategic objectives and attributions is to bridge the gaps by recycling used cooking oil to create eco products biodiesel and green bar. soap

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Epic Green Solutions is founded by Mr Mthimkhulu Qhayiyana who is passionate about climate action, biodiversity and most importantly about the betterment of the marginalized groups. We are in a nutshell converting used cooking oil to produce 100% environmental friendly products such as biodiesel and green bar soap so as to address the issue of climate change caused by used cooking oil that is ultimately disposed into drains and landfill sites by restaurants, households, accommodations and organisations that are cooking on day to day basis, the used cooking oil pollutes the ground water where it affects negatively the biodiversity and once that happens we then end up facing climate change. Be that as it may, the climate change is also caused by fossil fuels from vehicles and machines so our solution is to collect used cooking oil and convert into 100% environmental friendly biodiesel and substitute fossil fuels, and also manufacture green bar soap we would be creating jobs as well.

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

The problem we are solving is the issue of climate change and high rate of unemployment, especially for people living with disabilities, women and young people while at the same time mitigating climate change by trying to persuade the world to use biodiesel instead of fossil fuels that polluting our oze and ultimately encountering global warming and have disasters. For example just at the beginning of June South Africa has been hit by floods where thousands of people were left with no homes and some are even injured so once we implement our idea of manufacturing biodiesel and green bar soap we will be mitigating climate change and creating more job opportunities for marginalized communities in South Africa because we are not just an entity but the one that is bringing nothing but solutions to challenges at hand. #convertingtrashintotreasure

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

The advantages of using our 100% environmental friendly products is that they are more affordable than the ones already in the market simply because we would be manufacturing them from free used cooking oil and using the biodiesel improves the horsepower of engines and their lifespan.

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

Our target audience are as follows: 1. Diesel vehicle owners. 2. Diesel backup generator owners. 3. Diesel heavy duty plant owners. 4. Government sector. 5. Private sector.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-01-08

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

1

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

1

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

Mthimkhulu Qhayiyana's profile: He is a social and eco inclusive entrepreneur with engineering and related designs background but passionate about climate change action jobs creation for people with disabilities, women and youth. Sisipho Xhayimpi's profile: She is a 30 year old entrepreneur who has a background of safety in society and she is also keen in exploring the climate change mitigation industry.

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

Https://enoch-and-petros-innovative-creations.business.site/

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

We strongly agree that our startup contributes to the No poverty goal by United Nations simply because we will be creating 50 job opportunities for marginalized groups so that they can too have a meaningful lives and contribute to the economy and be in better positions to provide for their respective families. To us that would be our project's contribution to the No goal.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

Our project's aim to have a zero hunger in our community by employing people that are not employed so that they can be bread winners too.

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

Our project's intension is have uninterrupted biodiversity and zero greenhouse emissions to the oze in that way we would be promoting good health and well-being.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

Because we will be employing people so they will be able to take their families to best schools and acquire best education.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

One of our project's strategic objectives is to do away with inequality in our community by prioritising people with disabilities, women and youth so that we are bridging the gaps between marginalized groups by employing them.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

Because our project forbids/curbs used cooking oil from going into river streams and pollutes ground water, in that way we are ensuring clean water and sanitation.

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

Our biodiesel is 100% environmental friendly and very affordable than fossil fuels because it made up of free used cooking oil. So it is affordable and clean energy.

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

Our employees will be treated with respect and dignity and be payed for their work done so that makes them to even contribute in the growth of the economy.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

We will have a biodiesel plant set up where all the operations will be done to manufacture biodiesel so that is industry innovation and infrastructure.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

People that will be employed by our project will be respected in their respective communities because they will be salaried.

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

In our cities and communities we will be collecting used cooking oil create or manufacture sustainable environmental friendly products.

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

Our project will ensure that there is responsible consumption and production by lobbying more clients to use eco inclusive biodiesel and ensure that we produce enough so we could meet our customer's demand.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

Our project will be converting food waste into eco inclusive biodiesel that doesn't pollute the ozone, so that is climate action because we will be mitigating climate change.

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

By collecting used cooking oil means that we will be forbidding it from going into river streams and pollutes ground water.

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

Because we will be manufacturing 100 % environmental friendly products means that will be contributing in saving life on land by reducing greenhouse emissions from fossil fuels and canvas for the use of 100% environmental friendly biodiesel.

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

7 - Strongly Agree

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

Our project will be creating more job opportunities and in that way we would be contributing in ensuring peace justice and strong institutions because when there are employment opportunities people do not do unethical things such as crime.

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

Our project contributes to the partnership for the goal because it capturing the mind and interests of the investors.

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.

3

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

3

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.

7 - Strongly Agree

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

Already in the market there fossil fuels but they are polluting our ozone and cause climate change but our 100% environmental friendly biodiesel and green bar soap are very affordable, sustainable environmental friendly products.

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

Our indirect potential competitors are shell, sasol but we will be beating them with prices because our biodiesel is made out of free used cooking oil and do not pollute the ozone so people have experienced climate change outcomes and would like to contribute to climate change mitigation so they would gladly buy the product plus it is very much affordable.

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

Yes, I have incorporated a female entrepreneur into this concept because I want us to work together