Submitted
2023 Solv[ED] Youth Innovation Challenge

Producing Black Gold

Team Leader
Puchainu Marma
Solution Overview & Team Lead Details
Solution name.
Producing Black Gold
Provide a one-line summary of your solution.

Focusing on generating organic fertilizer from kitchen waste in order to promote organic farming

What specific problem are you trying to solve?

We are primarily focusing on the problem of improper waste management in our community, which has been designated as the top priority to be reduced. We have implemented the project at one of Bangladesh's top tourist destinations  called the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) where more than 13 indigenous communities reside.   In recent years, a significant number of hotels and dining establishments have been constructed due to the city's growing local and tourist populations.As a result, a variety of wastes, including both cooked and uncooked kitchen waste, plastics, polyethylene, and household items, are combined together and put in the rubbish. These garbage then proceed to be piled up on top of hills surrounded by lush greenery without being properly managed. Mismanagement of the dumping system results in serious degradation of the local biodiversity as well as air, water, and soil contamination. Additionally, it severely harms the local population's environment and reduces their ability to lead healthy lives.

Elevator pitch
What is your solution?

Our best course of action is to immediately adhere to the motto "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." It focuses mostly on making organic fertilizer from discarded vegetable scraps. We focus primarily on waste from raw green vegetables and do not address other sources of waste. We personally collected numerous household items that can be utilized to quickly break down green garbage in a month and a half. In the initial step, we solely collect trash from restaurants, which we then dump into a huge barrel. Next, we begin layering the wastes for decomposition by adding soil, dried leaves, and green waste to another bottom-holed barrel. We repeat this process daily until the barrel is full.Every week, we continue to evaluate the layers and, if necessary, mix them up from top to bottom. We also continue to sprinkle water to speed up the breakdown process. We have to wait for a dark, humus-like substance for roughly 5–6 weeks. After that, we gather the garbage and dry it off using high heat or sunlight. This is the process's last step. We obtain genuine organic fertilizer by machine-grinding the dry waste into a powder form.

Who does your solution serve? In what ways will the solution impact their lives?

Our primary goal in making organic fertilizer is to encourage organic farming in indigenous communities of Chittagong Hill Tracts.   To enable our local indigenous farmers and gardeners to practice organic farming, we will sell and distribute our genuine product to them. By doing this, the previously enormous amount of chemical fertilizers will gradually reduce over time. The organic fertilizer is affordable, environmentally friendly, and will simultaneously decrease the amount of harmful chemicals in foods and raise their nutritional value. Last but not least, farmers will gain from employing inexpensive organic fertilizer, and food waste can be recycled to reduce waste mismanagement and modify locals' lifestyles.

How are you and your team well-positioned to deliver this solution?

Our team has 5 members and we belongs to 'Marma' indigenous community form Chittagong Hill Tracks,Bangladesh. We can say that our dynamic team is well-positioned to deliver this solution because all of us are involved with several youth organizations and volunteering works. Our team’s life, volunteer, and work experiences are individually given below – 

  1. Ushing Mya Marma: Currently pursuing BA Honors Final year in English Literature at Bandarban Govt. College. Team leader of "Green Milieu" one of the winning team of 'Bangladesh Youth Challenge 2022 Bootcamp Chittagong Division- sponsored by Generation Unlimited and UNICEF'. Also working as a Role Model of Gender Responsive Education and Skills Program (GRESP, BRAC). Beside this involved with Bangladesh Marma Students Council (BMSC) as Joint Secretary, Bandarban District Committee. Volunteering at Chaloong (Indigenous Community based organization), Campus Representative at Desperately Seeking Bandarban.

  1. Puchainu Marma : Currently pursuing Masters degree in Bangla literature at Jagannath University. Co founder of “Green milieu”. Program manager at HMUN organization (youth organization) content writer at chaloong foundation (indigenous community based organization) campus representative at Desperately Seeking Bandarban. 

  1. Chaw way : Chaw Way Hai(team member Green Milieu) pursuing under graduation in Botany from University Of Chittagong. Volunteering 'Chaloong' online based media of ' Indigenous culture of Bangladesh' and volunteering Hill Model United Nation.

  1. Dawki prue: Dawki Marma (Team member of Green Milieu) Currently pursuing Under Graduation in Zoology from Hazi Mohammad Mohsin College. Volunteering Chaloong and assistant manager of HMUN (youth organisation)

  1.  Mipru Marma is currently studying at Asian University for women. Team member “Green Milieu”. She is a recipient of “The Millennium Fellowship”, which is a semester-long leadership development program by the  United Nations Academic Impact. She is actively engaged in indigenous education development and raising awareness among young adolescents on menstrual hygiene and using eco friendly sanitary napkins.  

What steps have you taken to understand the needs of the population you want to serve?

Before initiating our project we surveyed various local places to take feedback from farmers, vendors about the present marketing situation of chemical fertilizers and the result we got was very negative. So we potentially believe our work will turn out to be positive. During the incubation period, we organized a seminar with a few enthusiastic youths and presented our project processing and implementation. We shared our knowledge about recycling waste and they were very delighted and gathered much information. We ran our project by ourselves and we encouraged some volunteers to work with us

Which aspects of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?
  • Taking action to combat climate change and its impacts (Sustainability)
What is your solution’s stage of development?
  • Prototype: A venture or organization building and testing its product, service, or business model
In what city, town, or region is your solution team located?
Chattogram, Bangladesh
Who is the Team Lead for your solution?
Ushingmya Marma is the leading the team. She is currently pursuing her BA honors final year in English literature at Bandarban Govt. college.
More About Your Solution
Your Team
Business Model
Solution Team:
Puchainu Marma
Puchainu Marma
MIPRU  MARMA
MIPRU MARMA
Chaw Way Hai
Chaw Way Hai
Dawki Marma
Dawki Marma
MARMA
Ushing Mya
Ushing Mya
Marma