Kenya - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Join Taka Pay: an app incentivizing environmental cleaning by rewarding users, turning trash into treasure for a cleaner, happier world. Like to support!

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Taka Pay is an innovative mobile application designed to incentivize environmental stewardship and community engagement. Our platform will gamify the process of cleaning up the environment by turning it into a rewarding experience. Users will easily track and locate areas in need of cleaning, participate in cleanup efforts, and earn rewards for their contributions. Through the Taka Pay app, users will be able to engage in various environmental activities such as mapping trash, collecting litter, sorting recyclables, and transporting waste to designated facilities. We aim to make environmental conservation accessible and enjoyable for everyone, fostering a sense of responsibility and collective action. One of the key features of Taka Pay will be its reward system, which will offer users a choice of incentives upon completing cleaning tasks. These rewards will include cash, store discounts, or the option to donate to charitable causes supporting environmental initiatives.

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

The main problem Taka Pay aims to solve is the escalating issue of environmental pollution. Trash is spreading rapidly, overwhelming both urban and rural areas, polluting rivers and oceans. Traditional cleanup methods are often slow and costly, failing to keep pace with the rate of pollution. Taka Pay seeks to incentivize and gamify environmental stewardship, encouraging individuals to actively participate in cleaning efforts and make a tangible impact on their surroundings.

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 major benefits of using Taka Pay include: Incentivized Environmental Action: Taka Pay motivates users to participate in environmental cleanup efforts by offering rewards such as cash, discounts, or donations to charity. This incentivization encourages widespread participation and fosters a sense of responsibility towards the environment. Community Engagement: Taka Pay brings together individuals, businesses, and communities to work towards a common goal of environmental conservation. Through collaborative campaigns and partnerships, users can engage with local businesses, promote sustainability, and make a positive impact on their surroundings. Efficient Cleanup Processes: By leveraging technology and gamification, Taka Pay streamlines the process of locating, cleaning, and disposing of trash. Users can easily identify areas in need of cleanup, participate in organized efforts, and track their contributions in real-time, leading to more efficient and effective cleanup operations.

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

Taka Pay is aimed at serving a diverse range of individuals and groups, including: Environmental Enthusiasts: Individuals passionate about environmental conservation who want to actively contribute to cleaning up their communities. Local Communities: Residents living in areas affected by pollution who seek a cleaner and healthier environment for themselves and future generations. Small Businesses and Companies: Organizations interested in supporting environmental initiatives, promoting sustainability, and engaging with their local communities. Charitable Organizations: Non-profit organizations focused on environmental conservation and community development, benefiting from donations made through Taka Pay's reward system. Overall, Taka Pay aims to empower individuals and communities to take action against environmental pollution while fostering collaboration and engagement among stakeholders.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-05-11

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

7

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.)

Kelvin Maina Project Management: Leadership and organization. Strategic Planning: Effective strategies. Good at Problem-Solving. Victor Musau Technical Expertise: Software development. Innovation: New technologies. Attention to Detail: Technical excellence. Juliana Muema Environmental Science: Understanding issues. Community Engagement: Stakeholder relationships. Research and Analysis: Supports goals. Allan Omolo Marketing: Strategy development. Brand Management: Positive messaging. Content Creation: Engaging content. Stanley Mutisya Financial Management: Budgeting and planning. Grant Writing: Secures funding. Analytical Skills: Financial decisions. Sarah Mukewa Partnership Development: Key partnerships. Networking: Connects sectors. Advocacy: Mobilizes support. Matthew Mutiso Operations: Smooth running. Logistics: Manages events. Process Improvement: Enhances efficiency. Brandon Okoth UX/UI Design: User-friendly. Graphic Design: Attractive visuals. User Research: Guides design.

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/in/mainasploit/

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

h) IT (digital services, equipment and software)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

6

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

Taka Pay supports the No PovertySDG as it creates a unique earning model for individuals within polluted regions. The app effectively encourages users, especially those from low-income areas, to clean up the environment by offering incentives in the form of cash. It can also act as a source of income for low-income earners and their families in the form of monetary incentives. This way, they embrace clean-up activities and are rewarded in ways that provide an immediate boost to the household income. In addition, the community engagement aspect of Taka Pay might involve partnering with local businesses and organizations. Such affiliations could create opportunities for employment or training initiatives for the active users, which may lead to new economic activities. Secondly, through the cleaning up of polluted areas, Taka Pay essentially helps in eradicating poverty. Through better health conditions (healthcare expenses are lowered), increased tourist attractions, and better property

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

3

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

As much as Taka Pay is an innovative product geared towards meeting the need of environmental cleanup and bringing people together in that particular cause, it is rather difficult to pinpoint how it can directly address at least one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals; that of ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, or promoting sustainable agriculture based on the information provided. The main goal of the application is to encourage individuals to pick up garbage and other pollutants that harm the environment, although this may be crucial for the latter, the application does not directly affect food supply chains. Activities regarding agriculture, nutrition, and food security are missing from the list of activities mentioned in the description of the project. On the same note, cleaner environment could have had an indirect small positive effect on local food production through reduction in pollution of soil and water sources used in the production process.

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

6

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

Taka Pay has a positive impact on good health and well-being for its attempts to address the issue of environmental pollution. The app involves trash pick-ups which obviously lessen contact with health-compromising waste, enhance the quality of air and water, and address vectors such as mosquitoes and rats. In this way, it enhances cleanliness of environments to foster better physical and mental health. Some of the benefits include; engaging in cleaning activities results to some level of exercise thereby improving the health of the community members while on the other end living in a clean environment is associated with improved mental health and pride. Most importantly, the community engagement element of the app fosters good relations among people, improving the general health of the community. While not delivering health care services, a company’s preventive environmental action plan of Taka Pay supports achieving a healthy life for everyone at all stages of life.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

4

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

While Taka Pay's primary focus is not on formal education, it does offer some indirect contributions to learning and awareness: 1. Environmental awareness: The app raises consciousness about environmental issues and the impact of pollution, educating users about the importance of proper waste management. 2. Practical skills: Users learn how to identify, clean up, and properly dispose of different types of waste, which can be considered a form of practical environmental education. 3. Community learning: Through collaborative campaigns, users may share knowledge and best practices, fostering informal peer-to-peer learning. However, the app does not address core aspects of quality education such as access to schools, curriculum, the teachers and substance literacy. Its educational part is only environmental that does not encompass broader educational objectives and learning experiences.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

3

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

The app's primary focus is on environmental cleanup and community engagement, without any explicit mention of gender-specific initiatives or impacts. While the app is likely accessible to all genders, which is a basic form of inclusivity, there is no indication that it actively works towards addressing gender disparities or challenges explicitly faced by women and girls.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

6

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

Taka Pay significantly contributes to the Clean Water and Sanitation goal by addressing one of the major threats to water quality: pollution. The app's focus on incentivizing the cleanup of trash directly impacts water resources in several ways: Preventing water pollution: By encouraging users to collect and properly dispose of trash, Taka Pay helps prevent litter from entering waterways such as rivers, lakes, and ultimately, oceans. Protecting water sources: Cleanup activities in watershed areas can help safeguard the sources of drinking water from pollution, contributing to the availability of clean water. Raising awareness: Through its gamification and community engagement features, Taka Pay educates users about the importance of keeping water sources clean. Indirect impact on sanitation: While the app doesn't directly address sanitation infrastructure, cleaner environments resulting from its use can reduce the spread of water-borne diseases, indirectly supporting better sanitation

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

2

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

The primary focus of Taka Pay is on incentivizing environmental cleanup and waste management through community engagement and rewards. The information provided does not indicate any direct involvement or initiatives related to energy production, distribution, or consumption.

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

5

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

Taka Pay contributes to decent work and economic growth in several ways: Income Generation: Provides rewards (including cash) for cleanup activities, creating an additional income stream. Local Business Engagement: Stimulates economic activity through partnerships with local businesses. Green Job Creation: Fosters a gig economy around environmental stewardship. Skills Development: Users may develop new skills in waste management and environmental conservation. Sustainable Economic Practices: Clean environments can attract investment and enhance sectors like tourism.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

6

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

Taka Pay promotes sustainable industrialization and innovation through the application of new technologies for optimum environmental issues crisis solving. Some key points: It encourages the expansion of ideas through the design of a new generation of a mobile app that encourages environmental cleaning via reward systems. Specifically, it seeks to integrate, simplify and standardize cleanup reporting and verification in a bid to effectively industrialize and scale up and environmental remediation solutions. Collaboration with the local actors in business and other organizations is an effective way to have sustainable development in the structure and relations between industries, communities, and goals. Compiling the data on clean-up activities in different time periods helps the concerned communities or industries understand how they can prioritize the cleaner-up work/activities, involve people, and assess the impacts on a broader scale.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

5

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

Since all the members in a community will earn proportional rewards for environmental cleanup, Taka Pay came up with this strategy to avoid excluding individuals with less income or background in the incentive plan. Formation of relationships with non-profit organizations could help elongate some rewards/funds to charitable organizations, which in turn helps underprivileged individuals. Also, as it actively contributes to identification and management of sustainability initiatives from people, companies and even districts, it promotes collaboration within segments of the society. Taka Pay is developed for use by citizens, other small businesses, organizations, companies and firms. This ear open approach has been used in this research to try and equalize the digital/participation gap of such groups. In the long run, cleaning locus of pollution in neighborhoods could decrease health disparities affecting people living in pollution affected areas. Even though the notion of sustainability

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

Taka Pay directly is designed to target people and locals to embrace and participate in environmental sanitation in the cities/neighbourhoods. In this respect, through encouragement of proper organization and efficiency of clean up campaigns among human settlements, it is aimed at reducing their vulnerability to poor health due to pollution exposure. SMBs working together support collaboration between the commercial end-users and residents for sustainability initiatives. Continuous acquisition of data regarding the hotspots and trends all contribute to improved and contemporized remediation procedures that are relevant for the environment and efficient and participative for all the involved parties. Integration of reporting/validation to scale up the Strategies for Interventions construct more systematically to monitor the effects of the interventions construct more systematically to monitor the effects of the interventions.

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

6

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

When it comes to environmental cleanup and disposal of wastes, Taka Pay empowers the circular economy by encouraging sustainable waste management patterns. Collection of data on the frequency of trash pickups can help identify high waste generators/areas to encourage appropriate production/consumption practices. Collaboration with businesses/organizations creates possibilities for promotion of the green processes, reuse / donation programs etc. Encouraging individual citizens to properly dispose the trash ensure responsible consumption orientations on a mass scale. Gamification of users towards their long term engagement through sustainability goals enhances better and more conscious consumption/lifestyle. Transparency into cleanup impacts may coerce industry/retailers to change polluting business models/packaging.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

6

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

By improving waste management practices, Taka Pay aims to reduce plastic and other pollution that contributes to greenhouse gas emissions if left uncollected. Efficient cleanup efforts can help preserve natural environments like forests, rivers and oceans that function as crucial carbon sinks. This supports climate change mitigation. Partnering with environmental non-profits opens doors to support reforestation/restoration initiatives that sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Regular data collection on waste volumes in communities over time can help monitor the impacts of sustainable interventions on carbon emissions. Raising awareness among citizens and businesses on environmental issues may indirectly encourage support for broader climate policies. While not directly setting emissions reductions targets, Taka Pay's approach meaningfully addresses factors like land, waste and resource management that influence the overall carbon footprint.

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

5

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

By encouraging the proper disposal of wastes including wastes such as plastics, Taka Pay also contributes to the elimination of pollution on land which finds its way to water bodies. Engaging with environmental organizations provides an opportunity to support similar causes such as coastal cleanups that protect life beneath the sea. For long term marine protection policies, the systematic gathering of data provides a bigger picture of waste management requirements at a given period. Among users, broad awareness of sustainability issues may indirectly contribute towards ocean stewardship. It has the possibility to make a significant impact at the large-scale level, but based on the current information, direct ocean/marine-related targets are not highlighted.

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

6

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

By enhancing proper ways of disposing of wastes, Taka Pay will try to minimize pollution on land which if not cleared, poses a danger to terrestrial life. Effective clean-ups ensure that natural ecosystems and parks are not turned into dust bins. The environmental non-profit organizations provide avenues for supporting activities such as planting of trees in urban areas, cleaning up of parks which entail conserving land. This is through collection of data on the location/volumes of wastes for purposes of identifying areas that require rehabilitation programs. The general promotion of sustainability to users has the ability to foster support for the conservation of Biodiversity. For instance, massive involvement in cleanliness exercises could help in the actual enhancement of greenery in towns and cities in the long run.

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

4

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

By bringing together diverse community groups (individuals, businesses, non-profits) for environmental activities, Taka Pay aims to foster more inclusive, cooperative societies. Infrastructure for transparently tracking and validating users' cleanup efforts builds accountability into the platform over time. Partnering with local institutions provides an avenue to advocate for sustainability-supporting policies and engage in decision-making processes. Data on pollution hotspots and impacts could help direct public resources to most vulnerable areas in need of just services/solutions.

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

6

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

Taka Pay explicitly aims to bring together individuals, businesses, communities and organizations through collaborative environmental campaigns. Partnering with local stakeholders like non-profits, small businesses demonstrates a revitalized approach to public-private-community problem solving. Aggregating and sharing data on impacts of collective efforts over time strengthens accountability and supports adaptive project implementation. Incentivizing widespread citizen participation fosters new types of multi-sector engagement around sustainability issues. The emphasis on tailoring solutions based on community needs aligns with developing locally-led partnerships. There may be potential to explore international data-sharing networks in future to support global cooperation, though not currently scope.

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.

3

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.

3

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.

4

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

2

05.08 Justification

Taka Pay is unique and innovative because it combines gamification, technology, and reward systems that promote sustainability and participation in the community. While there are similar products and services on the market, Taka Pay's comprehensive approach and use of modern technology distinguishes it. Taka Pay is an innovative approach that encourages others to take part in green initiatives while also making the process fun and rewarding. Taka Pay's distinctive assortment of features and benefits positions it as a leading innovative platform in the fields of environmental conservation and community participation.

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

1. Litterati. 2. TrashOut. 3. Clean Swell. What make me stand out is the comprehensive engagement where users can engage in multiple environmental activities, offering tangible rewards such as store discounts and donations to charitable causes, user friendly technology that eases the process of locating areas that need cleanup, accessibility and inclusivity whereby it ensures more people can contribute to environmental conservation efforts and lastly, a holistic approach to environmental conservation than many other competitors lack.

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

Yes. In this project, there are also two female co-founders to this project.