Nigeria - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

The idea for SustainEd is to transform waste plastics and papers into innovative and durable educational tools. The end product enhance literacy and learning vis-a-vis promoting sustainability, waste reduction and job creation.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Growing up, my mother a retired teacher and Educational Consultant was often faced with a lack of resources. She wasn't deterred and would create makeshift tools. I am an educator now and can also relate together with others in the field and parents in creating a learning environment. SustainEd is a groundbreaking initiative to transform recycled plastics and paper into innovative and durable educational tools designed to enhance learning. Our range of products includes vibrant alphabet letters, and word creation cards among others crafted to foster educational engagement as well as promote sustainability. We aim to reduce environmental waste and create job opportunities by leveraging recycling and sustainable production methods. Through a partnership with schools, communities, organizations, and Educational programs, we aim to make a significant impact on education and the environment. The brand represents a blend of social responsibility and educational innovation.

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

The project aims to solve pressing problems including plastic waste by repurposing recycled plastics into high-quality, durable educational tools. Bridging educational disparity by providing affordable and engaging learning products across all social strata. Our products are aimed at making learning interactive and relatable thereby improving educational outcomes and easing the burden of meeting learning goals for stakeholders such as parents and teachers involved in the process. Lastly, local employment opportunities are created as well as partnerships with grassroots companies, hence aiding job retention.

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

Our range of products offers numerous advantages. First, they promote sustainability by utilizing recycled plastics and paper, reducing waste, and contributing to a cleaner environment. The educational tools are designed to be engaging and interactive enhancing literacy and learning outcomes for children and adults, and beneficial serving also underserved communities. The range of products supports tactile learning assisting grasp of concepts. Materials are sourced and produced locally thereby opening up job creation opportunities and bringing about economic growth within communities. The design is also versatile making it adaptable to different settings such as home, school, and training fields among others.

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

The project is aimed at serving a diverse range of beneficiaries including students at various levels of learning as the case may be. It also serves educators both as individuals and as corporate bodies, underserved communities regardless of socioeconomic status. Adult learners are also served providing them products to improve their literacy and job skills. Individuals and organizations committed to sustainability are also served either directly or indirectly, especially through partnerships.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2023-01-01

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

2

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

2

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

Mrs. Titilayo O. Opadiran is an educational management consultant who has functioned in various capacities in the education sector and currently has her educational start-up in Lagos, Nigeria. Mrs. Ajileye Elizabeth is an entrepreneur and accountant. She works in the Educational sector (over 10 years) managing a range of educational resources with an understanding of practices and need gaps in the sector.

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

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13052632

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

Other: Educational Technology and Sustainability

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

5

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

I would say, knowledge as I grew up knowing it is light. My project generally contributes to learning and development as its goal is inclusive of educating the general populace, community by community with a focus on a sustainable environment as well as partnering with organizations, Local governments, and NGOs among others to employ our products and target literacy and lifelong learning. The project also opens up job opportunities and it does not seek to exploit but to train and develop its staff strength and be an equal employer thereby contributing to financial boosts and promoting the No Poverty goal.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

5

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

A stitch in time is said to save nine. The zero hunger goal is focused on sustainable agriculture but the agricultural sector is plagued by plastic waste among others, hence though indirectly, the project adds up to boosting the sector in its overall outcome. We take care of waste to produce something of value thereby helping the agricultural sector and bringing about a boost.

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

4

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

The project has at its core education and its means sustainability, simply put, education via sustainable means. designed to ensure access to learning materials by creating affordable, durable, and engaging educational tools for children and adults alike. Overall, it brings about improved language skills, literacy skills, and numeracy skills among others thereby supporting lifelong learning.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

4

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

5

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

Plastic wastes are known to plague water bodies. Using plastic waste as a major resource helps to significantly contribute to waste-clearing activities as well as the use of paper waste altogether significantly effecting sanitation in communities and the world at large.

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

4

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

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

The project opens up jobs in recycling, collection, sorting, production management, quality control, marketing, legal services, education, and training among others. It provides an awesome experience for earning while also providing value.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

4

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

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

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

The project utilizes sustainability as its means of providing value in the form of educational tools for lifelong learning. This would help make cities and communities safe, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable engaging the communities in the production process and providing training and outreaches, supporting initiatives and innovations as well as providing locally sourced finished products for use.

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

The project contributes to the efficient use of resources by reducing the need for raw (virgin) materials thereby helping the conservation of resources as well as the beautiful transformation of waste to value supporting the circular economy through sustainable production. The project also aims at educating and creating awareness to add to the pool of awareness in fostering a community of Sustainability being an example itself.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

It is no news that all hands have to be on deck to combat the issue of climate change. The project promotes recycling as its primary products are waste plastic.

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

4

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

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

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

A tree does not make a forest, hence the project envisions partnerships with schools, corporate organizations, individuals, communities, NGOs, Foreign and local investors, and Local Governments among others to promote education and sustainability. The project aims to participate in global initiatives to contribute to larger movements towards actualizing the goals.

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

5

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.

2

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.

4

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

6

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

4

05.08 Justification

While the product we envision is not entirely new, it incorporates innovative elements by using recycled plastics, thereby addressing environmental concerns and contributing to a joint effort on sustainability. It also opens up market differentiation as it is culturally themed and caters to national educational curriculum, accommodating various learning styles and capturing adult learners in its model.

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

International brands like Lego among others, have a presence in the Nigerian market, manufacturers who have their products in Nigeria from countries like China, Europe, and other regions, local manufacturers, and artisans are all potential competitors. However, unlike any of them, our products use recycled plastics addressing environmental concerns and catering to SDGOALS. Furthermore, our products are aligned to fit educational curricula catering to various learning styles. We intend to commit to social impact, local job creation, and community empowerment highlighting us as a socially responsible business. With innovative designs, quality process openness to feedback, and continued research we guarantee our products to stand out as durable and hence be trusted by our customers. It is also worthy of note that the products are projected to cater to adult learners in its scope.

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

Not directly but yes. As a teacher, I champion and or coordinate extracurricular activities of clubs (such as the Home Maker Club, Literacy and Debate Club) and other initiatives. One initiative that resonates was tagged 'Kidpreneurship'. It encouraged pupils and students to embrace skills that answer problems in their communities. I tag the model 'Problems as challenges to take head-on'. While a lot of these haven't been directly focused on females the population however has more females hence I believe it applies.