Plastic bricks in Kenya - NZAMBI MATEE - Young Champion of the Earth 2020 for Africa

Summary

Zambi Mate, founder of Django Makers Limited, addresses the global plastic waste crisis by converting plastic into building products. In Nairobi, 500 metric tons of plastic waste are generated daily, with only a small fraction recycled. Django Makers not only helps companies dispose of waste at a cost but also upcycles it into strong, lightweight bricks. With a current capacity of 1000-1500 bricks daily, the company aims to recycle 50 metric tons by next year. The Young Champions of the App award serves as a motivation booster, propelling them to scale their solution across Africa and inspire youth to act for nature.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Zambi Mate is the founder of Django Makers Limited, a company addressing the global issue of plastic waste.
• 🏙 Nairobi generates approximately 500 metric tons of plastic waste daily, with only a small portion being recycled.
• 💡 Django Makers Limited converts plastic waste into building products, offering a solution to companies that need to dispose of waste.
• 🔨 The company uses a process involving an extruder and press to mix plastic waste with sand at high temperatures, creating strong, fibrous bricks.
• 🚚 Their bricks are lighter, which reduces transportation and installation costs.
• 🔝 Django Makers Limited has the capacity to produce 1000 to 1500 bricks daily and has recycled 20 metric tons of plastic so far.
• 🎯 The company aims to increase its recycling capacity to 50 metric tons by the end of the next financial year.
• 🏆 The Young Champions of the App award serves as a significant motivation for the team, acknowledging their hard work over three years.
• 🤝 Django Makers Limited is seeking partners to scale their solution across Africa and inspire youth to take similar initiatives.
• 🏗️ The company plans to expand from making paving blocks to producing actual building blocks.
• 💪 Zambi Mate's personal motivation stems from a desire to actively combat plastic pollution, embodying the spirit of taking bold action for the environment.

Q & A

What is the main objective of Django Makers Limited?

Django Makers Limited aims to convert plastic waste into building products, addressing the global issue of plastic pollution.

How much plastic waste does Nairobi generate daily?

Nairobi generates about 500 metric tons of plastic waste every single day.

What percentage of the generated plastic waste in Nairobi is recycled?

Only a fraction of the 500 metric tons of plastic waste generated daily in Nairobi is recycled.

How does Django Makers Limited's approach benefit companies?

Companies have to pay to dispose of their waste, and by using Django Makers Limited's service, they can solve their waste disposal problem.

What materials are used to make the bricks produced by Django Makers Limited?

The bricks are made by mixing plastic waste with sand, where the plastic acts as a binder.

What is the role of the extruder and press in the brick-making process?

The extruder mixes plastic waste and sand at high temperatures, and the press compresses the mixture to form bricks.

Why do the bricks made by Django Makers Limited have a stronger compression strength?

The bricks have a stronger compression strength because plastic is fibrous in nature, which enhances the structural integrity of the bricks.

What is the current daily production capacity of Django Makers Limited?

Django Makers Limited has a capacity of producing 1000 to 1500 bricks a day.

How much plastic waste has Django Makers Limited recycled so far?

So far, Django Makers Limited has recycled 20 metric tons of plastic waste.

What is Django Makers Limited's goal for the next financial year?

By the end of the next financial year, Django Makers Limited aims to increase their recycling capacity to 50 metric tons.

How does the Young Champions of the Earth award impact Django Makers Limited?

The Young Champions of the Earth award serves as a motivation booster for Django Makers Limited, validating their efforts and hard work over the past three years.

What are Django Makers Limited's future plans for expansion?

Django Makers Limited plans to scale their solution not just in Kenya but all over Africa, and they also aim to start producing actual building blocks in addition to paving blocks.

What motivates the founder of Django Makers Limited to tackle plastic waste?

The founder, Zambi Mate, was tired of being a bystander to plastic pollution and decided to take action, even without a clear plan at first, to make a difference for nature.