Kenya - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

My project is about recycling used (car, motorcycle, or bicycle) tires to obtain products that can be used in our homes, commercial, social, and industrial spaces. The products made include tiles, pavers, antifatigue mats, sporting tools and barbered wire

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

used tires are collected and grounded to obtain crumb rubber. The crumb rubber is mixed with glue and pressed to form different products such as flooring (tiles, paves, and mats), cow mattresses, antifatigue mats, vehicle mudguards, sound absorption, sporting equipment, rail trucks, and playground floors. Rubber is beneficial as it is long-lasting, durable, easy to clean, safe, no injuries in case of falls, especially in playgrounds, gyms, and sporting places, cheap, eco-friendly, and easy to install. Recycled rubber is essential as it contributes to the SDG goal of innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry as well as climate change. collecting the used tires helps to free land that is packed with discarded tires and avoid burning them which leads to air pollution.

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

The main issue we are trying to solve is landfills and air pollution caused by the discarding of non-biodegradable materials (tires). In Africa, particularly Kenya, there are limited innovative initiatives that help reduce land and air pollution caused by tires. In most cases, they are burned which causes air pollution and the destruction of ozone layers that result in drastic climate changes such as droughts or floods, currently experienced in my country. I believe that a proper, safe, and innovative recycling process can help us safe our environment and reduce land and air pollution.

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 the products from the tire recycling project include; 1. Contributes to the SDG goal on innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry as well as climate change 2. Cost-effective 3. Environmentally friendly 4. Increased accessibility and safety especially for playgrounds and sporting surfaces and equipment 5. Promotes sustainability in rail tracks 6. Efficacy in sound absorption 7. Increased safety and durability 8. Easy to clean 9. Aesthetics

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

The project aims to help the environment by recycling non-biodegradable materials to free up land and reduce air pollution. Our target beneficiaries are the general community. First: Home residents due to flooring such as tiles, pavers, and house vents Second: industrial workers due to anti-gatigue mats that help the workers who stand for long hours because of reduced foot pressure, reduced discomfort, and risk of slips and falls. Also, rubber absorbs noise. Third: Commercial buildings due to aesthetics, non slip floors, reduced foot pressure, and easy to clean. Fourth: Playground and sporting floors that help reduce injuries for children when they play and are safe for sports people due to reduced pressure. Fifth: Rail tracks for reduce noise where railways passes near residential homes.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-05-01

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

0

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.)

None

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?

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

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

5

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

My project contributes to eliminating poverty by offering job opportunities to unemployed people

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

3

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

My project contributes to good health and well-being by recycling non-biodegradable materials that cause land and air pollution.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

5

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

My project will help the learning institution identify the importance of innovation and how it can have long lasting benefits to the community.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

3

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

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

3

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

Recycling is an untapped industry that can have economic benefits. The rate of consumption in the country, which translate to high output of used products.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

Recycling is an innovative industry that involves using used and discarded materials to make usable and valuable goods that can be used by consumers at a reduced price. In addition, recycling involves solving problems in our society that are generally and basically overlooked.

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

6

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

The project involves making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient,s and sustainable for communities by freeing up land spaces and reducing air pollution by burning tires as well as noise reduction for homes and different communities.

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

5

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

The project is in the manufacturing sector and contributes towards responsible production, as our main goal is ensuring that the tyres are recycled in an eco-friendly manner. Also, we contribute to the circular economy as the tyres produced are non-biodegradable and normally, not used but dumped in open spaces or burned. Therefore, the recycling of this tyres will contribute towards circular production of products that are helpful in our country and beyond.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

6

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

Tyres are dumped in open spaces as a method to dispose them, which contributes to filling up on land that can be used for beneficial purposes such as agriculture. Also, the dumped tyres form a breeding ground for mosquitoes which increases the risk for malaria infections within the community.

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

5

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

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

2

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

The problems of tyres is universal and majority of countries, especially, developing nations, do not have a system for recycling them. therefore, the sucess of this project may promote partnership with our countries to consider tyre recycling as a means of waste disposal.

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.

4

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

6

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.

6

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

5

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

5

05.08 Justification

There are flooring products in the current market; however, the major difference between the existing products, such as tiles and our products is the raw material that is used. The existing products are made from concrete, bricks, ceramics, and stones that pose certain dangers and limitations, such as breakage and injuries, especially in playgrounds, and are cold and non-durable. Tyres are safer, more durable, warm, easy to clean, and bouncy, which relieves foot pressure, especially among industry workers. They are also elastic, so children may not suffer injuries in the event of falls. Additionally, flooring products made from tyres are non-slip, thus reducing the risk of slips and falls, are soundproof, and have anti-fatigue properties that relieve foot pressure. Thus, our products are better, safer, durable, and more advatageous compared to the current products.

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

Currently, there is no company in Kenya that manufactures flooring products from tyres or rubber.

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

Yes. I believe that by being a female founder, I would encourage women to pursue their ideas and not view gender as a stambling block.