STARTUPS
problems that become
an
opportunity
We also aim to instill an problem solving mindset to student from primary school all the way to universities, through different customized program that are carried out in our workshop or sometimes at targeted student schools, we hope to create a future generation of innovators. We welcome students, small entrepreneurs, youths etc. and sometimes even adult community members.
Edgar Edmund
Green Venture
Edgar Edmund, founder of Green Ventures Tanzania and innovator of recycled plastic building materials
In May of 2015, fifteen year old Edgar watched as flood waters carried off the mud homes of families unable to afford more sustainable building materials. He also noticed an excess of plastic waste being washed away and began to envision a way to both reduce that waste and provide people affordable, sustainable building materials. When he got to school,
he began sketching out a design for a machine that would melt down plastic, mix it with sand, and extrude plastic bricks, lumber and blocks people could use for construction.
When a classmate recommended he connect with Twende, Edgar decided to attend a Creative Capacity Building (CCB) workshop, where he was able to get help turning his innovative idea into reality. At Twende, he was given help thinking through his design and the space and tools he needed to build his first – and second, and third – prototypes. With an initial investment of $20, he started Green Ventures and built his first prototype. Alfred began winning prizes for his innovation – starting with his school’s science fair – and put the money back into his business and improving his prototypes. In 2017, he found himself in Sweden accepting the Grand Prize in the Global Children’s Climate Prize.
Colman Ndetembea
Kyaro Assistive Tech
Colman Ndetembea, co-founder of Kyaro Assistive Tech and innovator of the Kyaro Multipurpose wheelchair.
For families in developing countries, having a child with a disability such as cerebral palsy presents multiple challenges, from access to needed services and equipment to transportation to and from school. Imported wheelchairs and other mobility equipment are expensive to acquire and maintain, and families often don’t have the space needed to use and store them.
The Kyaro Multipurpose wheelchair, designed to help children with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, is helping bring locally manufactured, affordable assistance to developing countries. Designed, manufactured and sold in Tanzania, the wheelchair can be configured into a standing frame, bench/bed, and be adjusted in size to grow with its user. The rugged, all terrain design and construction make it sturdy enough for family members to wheel children to and from school – even over unpaved roads.
