Malawi - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Soya Phala, is a flour made from Soya beans, maize, groundnuts, beans, rice and yellow maize. It is produced in Mzuzu, Malawi. This product was founded by Maggie Njera who is the CEO of Njera Food Processors.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

The idea is that of soya phala which is porridge flour made from soya beans, maize, groundnuts, beans, rice and yellow maize. The raw materials come from the organic farming done within mzuzu of which we irrigate them using a treadle pump in which we are conserving energy and the fertilizer being used is organic fertilizer which is environmental friendly. For fortification the yellow maize is added inorder to fortify and not add any external preservatives.The flour comes in 2Kg and 5kg packages of which 2kg is sold at 3000Mwk and 5500Mwk for 5kg.

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

MALNUTRITION Malawi being a developing country has a higher rate of malnutrition cases in most under 5 children and people living with HIV that tend to have low immune system. So through the Soya Phala which has alot of health benefits because of the ingredients used the product is trying to end high rate of malnutrition and improve the health of the affected by providing the nutrients that are lacking in the body at an affordable price. UNEMPLOYMENT Many youths are experiencing unemployment even though most of them are graduates. This business itself started because of unemployment as the founder was struggling to get employed after graduating. The business is aiming at reducing the rate of unemployment by growing it more so that it employs other people once it reaches higher stages, hence it will need to hire more people to work in different departments.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

AFFORDABLE the product is made affordable to reach more people and to help more people in all economic backgrounds. -It also has more health benefits than any common breakfast because the flour has the following benefitslowered blood pressure. improvements to blood vessels, (such as greater elasticity of artery walls) improved bone health. protection against some cancers (including breast cancer) improved cognitive function and visual memory. -The product is locally produced in a community thereby supporting local farmers and farming methods from the community

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

•Women with children that are under 5 and are either suffering from malnutrition or just want their children to stay healthy • People with health problems like hypertension, heart condition and low immune system. These conditions prohibit certain foods and the patients are told to mostly take this porridge in Malawi. •People seeking a high protein based meal like those that do body building

01.05 When was your company established?

2023-09-14

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

0

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

0

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

No other owners

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

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560928015049&mibextid=ZbWKwL

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

d) Primary commodities (food, drink, household and personal products)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

Malawi is a developing country that depends on imported products so by producing our own flour we can be able to export hence ending the foreign exchange problem we are experiencing as a nation. Also the business as it us growing will need to employ other workers hence reducing unemployment rate which is also a leading factor to poverty.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

As our main problem this business is trying to solve is malnutrition, then zero hunger is it's main goal. The product is made affordable inorder to reach more people and is full pf nutrients that a person needs in their bodies. So making this available to everyone they can eat it anytime of the day as a meal thereby ending hunger in Malawi, sometimes we do train people on how to make the flour so that people have access to this healthy flour in their homes and also ot is easy to make as maize and soya beans are the most commonly grown crops in Malawi. On sustainable agriculture, the farming systems used in growing the ingredients are sustainable we use human energy for irrigation and use manure and organic fertilizer on the crops.

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

The product provides different healthy benefits and nutrients that promote good health in a person, if a person is healthy their well-being is not affected negatively. The soya flour is there to carter for people who have different healthy conditions.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

The children in Primary schools used to receive porridge but it has now stopped due to lack of funds and donors, as a Malawian based product we can bring back this action by allowing these kids gave access to a healthy breakfast that will make them healthy and active in schools.

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

The business is owned by young woman, wherever fellow girls see a woman who is our there making a change it motivates them to aldo work hard on their goals and they are able to empower themselves.

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

4

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

5

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

For irrigation proposes in the farming of the crops used in the soya flour production, we use a treadle pump which only requires human energy and does not require any form of finances apart from it's purchase.

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

4

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

We are fostering innovation as this is a product with so many nutrients and health benefits in one meal. Rather than taking different meals to attain the same nutrients our product provides

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

4

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

4

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

4

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

4

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

2

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

Through the use of manure and organic fertilizer in the farming of the crops used in the flour production, we are promoting life on land as we dont use any chemical based fertilizer in the farming process. By indulging the local farmers we are also taught the local farming systems which are environmental friendly. We also use a recyclable packaging inorder to avoid unnecessary litter and harming the environment.

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

4

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

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

7 - Strongly Agree

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

4

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

4

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

5

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

3

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

5

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

4

06.08 Justification for my startup

The demand being that of an affordable product which can assist people in the health sector in terms of nutrition

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Rab processors Likuni phala It is expensive on the market only people who are economically stable can afford My product has been built from a community which gives us more ground for support from fellow Malawians This startup was developed by a young woman in Malawi

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