Hijambo!
We (Quentin, Koen & Sam) will leave for Mumias in Kenya’s countryside to work on a project called Muima Industries for three months.
As is the case with many developing countries, Kenya suffers from an enormous waste problem. The streets are filled with plastic waste and people don’t know what to do about it. Muima Industries have found a way to turn this challenge into an opportunity and is working to reduce the waste problem.
Muima Industries is a small injection moulding factory that was founded ten years ago. They collect plastic of the heavily polluted streets of Kenya. This waste is after some steps melted and turned into a useful product. Currently the factory produces toy cars, most of which are sold on Kenyan markets. Since last year, the cars are sold in small amounts on the Dutch market as well.
The factory was founded by Kenyan Wilson Mzungu. By watching videos on the internet and experimenting with all sorts of techniques, he was able to get the factory running. By now, the factory has grown into a thriving business with 12 employees.
We have two goals for our time in Kenya. Firstly, we will develop a new product. To create this, new moulds will have to be made. The product we have designed is clock with a raw, industrial look . We think this product is more suitable for the Dutch market than the cars! See picture Below.
Secondly, we want to improve the working conditions in the factory. We will install better ventilation in the existing workplace and we will try to make the product flow more efficient. We will also investigate the options for an expansion of the factory. This enables Muima Industries to have a larger production, to hire more people and to get more waste of the Kenyan streets.
