Topnotch Garbage Solutions

I am a conscientious and professional entrepreneur, environmental research scientist, well conversant with health concepts, leadership and quality assurance standards. I am highly organized and efficient person with thorough and precise approach to projects that have produced excellent results to date. I am able to manage own time effectively and prioritize workload while working under minimal supervision. I am experienced at working in tight deadlines and under considerable pressure. I am very friendly and approachable person with interpersonal and customer relation skills. I have worked as an intern-Assistant Research Scientist at Kenya Wild Service and online researcher tutor on various platforms. 

Our venture seeks to curb emission of green houses gases from open burning of plastics and other solid wastes. In this regard, we focus to: reduce environmental pollution caused by municipal garbage in residential areas, prevent widespread of Covid-19, Typhoid, Malaria and other communicable and non-communicable, curb urban violence caused by huge heaps of hazardous and non-hazardous solid wastes, protect public health and reduce skyrocketing youth unemployment. To address unending menace of garbage heaps, we propose to embrace and implement best means of solid waste collection, hauling, disposal and management especially in slums. We also intend to create awareness on the need observe personal and environmental hygiene by embracing efficient, sustainable and socially supported integrated systems. Citizen engagement through public participation and behaviour change is core to our venture. Our venture elevates humanity by creating ‘inclusive, safe, resilient & sustainable’ urban and human settlements. 

The menace of municipal garbage is a threat to biodiversity, emergency of small and medium enterprises and other cardinal aspects in society. There is empirical evidence of wide range of businesses and households in Bungoma County Kenya; who can’t successfully collect, dispose off and manage their wastes. Close study of solid waste collection and management industry in Bungoma County and the entire country shows expanding nature of commercial business sectors, growth of real estate business, growing population (1.4 million people in 2009 and 1,670,570 people in 2019 in Bungoma County according Kenya National Bureau of Statistics figures) leading to steady demand for effective and efficient municipal and other household solid waste collection services.  In Bungoma County alone, more than one million residents have been adversely affected by huge heaps of garbage. Population growth, rise of the construction and commercial business ventures are just but some of the encouraging industry trends leading to high rates of solid waste generation. According to World Bank (2019), entire global cost of waste management is at $US 17.6 trillion annually. This is clear indicator that waste generation is an endless problem affecting majority. 

Our innovation entails collection, hauling, disposal and management of solid wastes. We not only focus on aforementioned aspects but also sort out materials that are recyclable. We intend to supply and encourage people to use bio-degradable bags and other equipments as opposed to plastics. We are focused abiding by the industry regulating rules and policies stipulated by National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), county governments and other industry players. We understand that proper waste management is necessary to make Kenyan towns and municipalities sustainable and livable. We deal across all facets of hazardous and non-hazardous solid wastes. We focus on changing the way people think about solid waste collection and management. We intend to ensure reliable and professional service delivery through well trained staff and other options such as environmental reporting. We aspire to be a game changer contributing positively towards attainment of Kenya’s Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-11).  In regards to this, we want to improve public health and flatten global warming curve through significantly reducing open burning of plastics, disease vector spreading and also curbing crime and violence in rural and rural areas.

Our community is highly diversified comprising of slum residents, county governments, primary and secondary schools, farmers, universities, middle level colleges, healthcare facilities, construction sites, hotels, business complexes, laboratories and restaurants. Majority of our target population are not aware of the danger posed by poorly managed solid wastes. 90% of waste is disposed in unregulated dumps and openly buried. Poorly managed waste has been serving as site for disease vectors and contributing to climate change (due to methane generation). We initiated a study to have clear image of individual perceptions on municipal garbage. We intend to rely on target population engagement through public participation and behaviour change to motivate waste reduction and best garbage collection and management practices. Our venture seeks to address individual needs by preventing widespread of Covid-19, Typhoid, Malaria and other communicable and non-communicable and also curb urban violence. Evidently, our innovation will create conducive environment for other business ventures that have been delayed due to uncollected and well managed municipal solid wastes. 

Our project is “elevating issues and their solutions” (the menace of poorly managed municipal garbage). We are dedicated to create safe environments for slum dwellers, address the challenge of climate due to open burning of plastics and curb widespread of Covid-19, Cholera, Cancer and other diseases. A clean environment translates to improved public health thus a noble course of containing spread of these deadly diseases. Our highly diversified target community is vulnerable since they serve huge number of people. Therefore, environmental hygiene will insulate people from contracting and spreading these diseases. 

Our brain child idea is traced back to the year 2015 while undertaking my undergraduate research project at the University of Eldoret. While in the field during data collection, it came to my attention that majority of residents in Bungoma County Kenya are not careful when handling municipal solid waste. There were increased cases of respiratory complications as majority residents preferred burning plastics in open areas not aware the danger it as posing to them and the environment. Typhoid and Cholera were being reported in some households. Street families were fighting over areas with huge heaps of garbage. Normal businesses were stagnating as potential customers avoided highly littered environments. I shared this problem with my project supervisor Dr. Simiyu Gelas who in turn advised me to venture in cleaning of towns and other residential places. 

I am bonafide resident of Bungoma County Kenya and my family also resides there. Endless cases of bad odor, terrible watch sites in residential areas, poverty and skyrocketing youth unemployment are just but some of the common incidences that keep my faith and desire to change general state of our community. I have a moral obligation to improve lives of my people who engulfed into ignorance on pertinent of environmental pollution. My unmatched passion about this venture is anchored on the fact that it plays pivotal role in curbing widespread of Covid-19, Cholera, influenza, SARS, Typhoid, Cancer and climate change. We aspire to prevent widespread of Covid-19 and other contagious diseases caused by poor environmental and human hygiene due to substandard management of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes in residential places with depilated conditions. Covid-19 pandemic has sent the world into shivers. Global economy has been adversely affected and many people have lost their jobs especially. I have a role to play in finding solutions to these problems. 

I am a conscientious and professional entrepreneur, environmental research scientist, transformational leader who is well conversant with research skills, leadership and indomitable passion towards environmental justice. My previous work experience spanning from working as a Research Assistant Intern (Department of Biodiversity, Research and Monitoring)-Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Online Tutor/Research instructor at International Studypool Inc., and being a high school teacher for Computer Studies and Biology make me an ideal person to address the menace of poorly managed municipal solid waste. I have also I have worked at Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as an assistant IT technician during 2013 Kenyan  general elections. I was an attaché at Eldoret Water and Sanitation Company Limited (ELDOWAS) in the departments of finance, human resource and quality assurance. I am recognized as a dynamic, motivated self starter, and have successfully achieved targets within the stipulated time.

I possess the following relevant skills: highly advanced with research skills-data collection, report writing, planning and scheduling, project management, communication skills, problem solving skills and project management skills. I am proficient in computer skills, transformational leadership skills (served as faculty class representative, University of Eldoret), excellent communication skills-written and verbal, high level of attention to details and highly organized and efficient person. I have been a victim of poorly managed municipal solid waste and I am determined to secure future generations from experiencing what have gone through. 

As a resident of a county characterized by dumping of municipal wastes in residential places, I have marshaled efforts to clean up our environments. Bungoma County local authority has not been able to prioritize on creating proper waste management systems thus increased public outcry from places like Bumula constituency (dilapidated state of Lumoro dumpsite risking public health).  Due to defective institutional and technical mechanisms of solid waste management, there have been cases of uncollected waste in market centers like Chwele & Bumula, cases of indiscriminate dumping and lack of waste segregation in the county. My efforts ensured reliable and professional service delivery through well trained general garbage collectors, cleaners and other options such as creation of awareness on environmental health and safety. We have been able to sensitize community members to be environmental and health conscious. Despite of limited financial and human resources, we have maintained our quest of creating community awareness on the need to maintain their residential areas free of garbage. 

I have been a change maker during my early days at Friends Bisunu Primary school. I served in the capacity of a head boy. I am proud having succeeded in creating good rapport between my fellow learners and teachers. I championed for formation and registration of an environmental club. I directed and managed periodical cleanups in nearby towns.  My leadership skills improved when I was elected a head student at St. Stephen’s Sikusi Secondary School. My achievements include but not limited to creating a conducive learning environment, participating in regional environmental contests and being a bridge between students and teachers. I was Science Club chairman. At the University of Eldoret, I was elected student representative at the faculty of Environmental Studies. I was an active member of University of Eldoret Environmental Students Association (UEESA). This is the legal University association that is tasked with overall supervision and management of the environment. I have gained enough experience and skills to preside offer community based projects. 

Center for Africa Volunteers-CAVAFRICA. I am working as a county Coordinator.