Kenya - Startup under 3 years old

Décrivez votre projet en quelques mots

To address the effects of climate change brought about by use of synthetic fiber-made products, Bafiex Products Enterprises extracts natural ecofriendly banana fibers from the banana pseudo-stem.

01.01 Décrivez votre startup en détail

Bafiex is focusing on extraction of eco-friendly natural banana fiber as an alternative to the synthetic fiber. The fiber easily decomposes and adds fertility to the soil. When burnt, banana fiber reduces to ashes used as organic fertilizer for the crops in the farm. The extracted banana fiber is used in making of braids, weaves, wigs in fashion industry, fiber for making pillows and cushions in furniture industry, yarn for use in the textile industry and also fiber mats and other decors in the cottage industry The startup has created 5 direct jobs and hundreds of indirect jobs involved in the extraction cycle. Moreover, the project has also increased the acreage under banana plantation. Incentivizing the farmers motivates them to plant more bananas hence assuring the sustainability of our project and food security. Empowering the farmers and the unemployed youths through income earned helps us in improving their living standards and that of their immediate family members.

01.02 Quel est le problème principal que vous essayez de résoudre ?

Today every dumping site you pass-by is made of landfills due to poor disposal of synthetic fiber-made braids, wigs, weaves, pillows and cushions, and handcrafts which never decompose. When these fibers come into contact with the soil, it loses it biodiversity. Moreover, burning them poses climate risks as they emit greenhouses gases that contribute towards climate change. To address the effects of climate change, it is therefore these two reasons that agitated the need for extraction and use of biodegradable and natural fibers from the banana pseudo-stems that are environmental friendly as an alternative.

01.03 Dites-nous quels sont les principaux avantages et/ou bénéfices de l'utilisation du produit/service fourni par votre startup (au moins 3).

The braids, wigs and weaves made from the banana pseudo-stems can be disposed into the farms and they can decompose easily adding fertility to the soil. Moreover, their burning can also reduce them to ashes that is applied as organic fertilizers to the crops grown in the farm. The products made from the natural banana fiber are also eco-friendly hence they help us protect our environment from the negative effects of climate change posed by the use of the non-biodegradable synthetic fibers. Besides, we also look forward to exporting the natural banana fiber to other countries of the world hence earning the Kenya foreign exchange. This shall also help us in spreading the use of natural fibers to the rest of the world in the move of embracing natural fibers as a way of protecting our climate. The consumption of our natural-fiber made products will help us in creating job opportunities to the unemployed Kenyan youths. It will also help us in ensuring food security is assured.

01.04 Veuillez décrire précisément à qui s'adresse le produit/service de votre startup. Quels sont les bénéficiaires visés ?

Hair, clothes, handcrafts, pillows, cushions etc. being one of the most relied on products by most families means a large clientele base for us. We are therefore targeting fashion, textile, cottage and furniture industries that majorly rely on the use of fiber in making their products. Girls and women between ages 5-35 and above are mostly the ones who will consume these products and therefore look forward to serving a clientele base of approximately 20 million customers in the Kenyan.

01.05 Quand votre entreprise a-t-elle été créée ?

29/05/2022

01.06 Vendez-vous déjà votre produit/service ?

Non

01.07 Combien y a-t-il de propriétaires de votre entreprise en plus de vous ?

2

01.08 Parmi les autres propriétaires, combien sont des femmes ?

1

01.09 Veuillez décrire le profil des autres propriétaires de votre startup (compétences, expérience, etc.).

1. Denis Kithinji Operations, Research and Development Manager Professional Nurse 2. Fridah Kaguri Sales and Marketing Manager Professional in Hospitality and Hotel Management

01.10 Si vous avez un site web, une page sur les médias sociaux (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin...) ou une application, veuillez fournir le(s) lien(s) ici :

https://www.youthsfortheboychild.org/site/programs , https://www.youtube.com/@youthsfortheboychildorgani2762

01.11 Quel est le secteur d'activité qui décrit le mieux votre entreprise ?

Matériaux (agriculture, pêche, produits chimiques, matériaux de construction, conteneurs et emballages, métaux et mines, papier et produits forestiers)

02.01.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Pas de pauvreté'

7 - tout à fait d'accord

02.01.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Bafiex Products enterprises is empowering smallholder banana farmers by buying them the banana pseudo stems that they used to waste in the farm. This means that they are able to earn from the banana fruit, leaves and also banana stem hence improving their living standards and that of their immediate family members hence eradicating poverty. Moreover Jobs created in our extraction cycle means employment of the unemployed youths hence improved living standards of our youths. This also translates to reduced dependency on the working population hence eradicating poverty.

02.02.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Faim Zéro'

7 - tout à fait d'accord

02.02.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Bafiex has improved the acreage under banana farming as more farmers are subscribing to sell the banana pseudo stems to our extraction site. This translates to increased production of banana fruit which means increased matoke food and fruits at our disposal hence assuring food security in Kenya

02.03.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Bonne Santé et Bien Être'

5

02.03.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

The Banana fruits is good for vitamin and matoke is good for the bones due to calcium presence. Planting Banana means increased food and fruits from the banana at our disposal hence good health and well being of our people.

02.04.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Éducation de Qualité'

5

02.04.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Bafiex is also offering apprenticeship to the unemployed youths to help in increasing our production of the natural banana fiber.

02.05.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Égalité entre les Sexes'

5

02.05.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Bafiex is aiming at creating more job opportunities to the ladies to ensure we make refined products that they need as they form the biggest number of clientele to consume our products.

02.06.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Eau Propre et Assainissement'

1 - pas du tout d'accord

02.06.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Not applicable

02.07.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Énergie Propre et Abordable'

3

02.07.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Not applicable

02.08.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Travail Décent et Croissance Économique'

7 - tout à fait d'accord

02.08.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Bafiex is creating job opportunities to the unemployed youths in our extraction cycle. The decent pay offered to these youths is meant to help them be financially stable and also to meet the needs of their family members hence spurring economic growth as we shall have improved their purchasing power that wasn't there before.

02.09.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Industrie, Innovation et Infrastructure'

3

02.09.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Not applicable

02.10.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Réduction des Inégalités'

3

02.10.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Not applicabel

02.11.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Villes et Communautés Durables'

3

02.11.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Not applicable

02.12.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Consommation et Production Responsables'

3

02.12.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Not applicable

02.13.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Lutte contre les Changements Climatiques'

7 - tout à fait d'accord

02.13.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Bafiex is focusing on extraction of Banana Fiber which is natural and biodegradable as an alternative to the synthetic fiber. Banana Fiber decomposes easily adding fertility to the soil hence it poor disposal and burning will add fertility to the soil unlike synthetic fiber that emits greenhouse gases and if poorly disposed leads to landfills and loss of soil biodiversity.

02.14.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Vie Sous-Marine'

1 - pas du tout d'accord

02.14.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Not applicable

02.15.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Vie Terrestre'

5

02.15.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Bafiex products are able to rot and therefore their poor disposal on land wouldn't amount to landfills and will also add soil fertility. This means there wouldn't be a case of land pollution as is in the case of synthetic fiber.

02.16.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Paix, Justice et Institutions Efficaces'

2

02.16.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

Not Applicable

02.17.01 Ma startup contribue à l'objectif 'Parteneriats pour la Réalisation des Objectifs'

7 - tout à fait d'accord

02.17.02 Justification de la contribution de ma startup

We look forward to partnering with Textile, Fashion, Furniture and Cottage Industries in ensuring we produce enough natural fiber for their use.

06.01 Un grand nombre de clients utilisent déjà un produit/service très similaire au nôtre.

6

06.02 Notre produit/service représente un type de produit/service entièrement nouveau

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

06.03 Notre produit/service pourrait être décrit comme une nouvelle technologie

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

06.04 Notre produit/service est une amélioration d'un produit ou d'un service existant

3

06.05 Notre produit/service pourrait être décrit comme une extension d'une gamme de produits ou de services

3

06.06 Notre produit/service répond à une demande ou à un besoin qui n'a pas été satisfait par d'autres produits/services.

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

06.07 Notre produit/service est une nouvelle version d'un ancien produit/service

3

06.08 Justification

Bafiex hair is a natural fiber made hair from the banana fiber. The hair can easily decompose as it is biodegradable. The natural fiber extracted from the banana is meant to make eco-friendly products that can protect our climate.

06.09 Analyse compétitive

My main competitors are Darling Hair. Unique Proposition The fact that our banana extracted fibers are biodegradable and less harmful to the environment makes it a good replacement for the synthetic fibers. Even if the banana fiber made product is poorly disposed it will add fertility to the soil whether burnt or rained on and rots in the farm. Market Dominance Selling the bio fibers at a relative cheaper price as banana stems for extraction are readily available helps in dominating a large clientele of customers who have now become environmental conscious.

11.05 Menez-vous des actions au sein de votre communauté pour promouvoir le rôle des femmes entrepreneurs ?

I am partnering with the cosmetic shops and salons which are majorly owned by the female entrepreneurs in refining my natural banana fiber made products such as hair.