Taka Taka Solutions is a social enterprise addressing the waste management challenge in Kenya. The enterprise operates a whole value-chain model including collecting waste from its clients, sorting the waste at a decentralized sorting station, selling recyclable materials and processing organic waste. The company set up Kenya’s first recycling plant for currently unrecyclable PP plastics.
Innovation
- Nairobi’s solid waste volumes are increasing rapidly. Nairobi produces around 2,500 tons of waste per day, and with rising incomes and urbanization, that volume is set to increase to 4,000 tons by 2030. Current disposal methods are extremely harmful to human and environmental health as 50% of waste produced in Nairobi remains uncollected. The remaining 50% is dumped at Nairobi’s one official dumpsite, Dandora. This poor management affects everyone, but especially marginal societal groups such as slum dwellers and waste pickers
- Taka Taka Solutions is a social enterprise addressing the waste management challenge in Kenya. The enterprise operates a whole value-chain model including collecting waste from its clients, sorting the waste at a decentralized sorting station, selling recyclable materials and processing organic waste.
- The company set up Kenya’s first recycling plant for single-use PP plastics, which is used to wash and crush pp plastics into flakes that will be sold to plastic manufacturers to make new products.
- To supplement collected waste, TakaTaka will also establish trading points to purchase waste materials from informal waste pickers near dumpsites.
Key Milestones under KCJF
- Taka Taka Solutions has created over 300 jobs with those employed earning a collective Kes 6.1 million per month. They estimate their solution will increase incomes for waste collectors by 50 – 100%.
- Taka Taka solutions were contracted to officially dispose off COVID – 19 waste from the city’s main hospitals
- With support from KCJF, they set up a toxic waste incinerator
- Taka Taka Solutions has currently collected from 4,000 households (20,000 people), various smaller businesses and schools. An average of 8 tons of waste is processed per day, of which on average 88% is recycled.
- Taka Taka Solutions has created 65 jobs for previously unemployed youths, who also have health insurance for their families and form part of a savings cooperative.
- Taka Taka Solutions is operating two trial farms to showcase the impact of its compost.
- Taka Taka Solutions is also recycling textiles for re-wear and producing tumblers and wine glasses from recycled glass bottles.
Founders Profile
Daniel Luis Paffenholz founded TakaTaka Solutions in 2011 where he is responsible for managing overall operations and business development. Prior to starting TakaTaka Solutions, he pursued internships at Goldman Sachs, Royal Bank of Scotland, the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Nepal and worked for a financial services company in India. He has a first class distinction in philosophy from St Andrews University, Scotland
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