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Takataka means “waste” in Swahili. The equation is clear.
A high reliance on bottled water + little to no trash collection
+ unreachable recycling centers = Uganda has a waste issue.
The Problem:
- Gulu is SIX HOURS from the nearest recycling center making proper disposal of recycling unaffordable.
- Plastic is burned, buried, or littered releasing high levels of CO2
- Southeast countries have stopped accepting plastic waste imports
- 80% of Gulu waste is NOT collected
- Additional issue: 41% of Uganda youth are not employed
The Solution:
Meet Peter Okwoko and Paige Balcom, the founders of Takataka Plastics who are on a mission to find innovative solutions to waste challenges that build a circular economy while creating jobs and a healing workplace for at-risk populations.
In Takataka Plastics, Peter and Paige adopted a mutli-faceted approach to a multi-faceted problem:
- Using innovative technology, local talent, and locally made machinery to transform PET plastic waste into construction materials such as tiles.
- RECYCLE plastic in a new and transformative way reducing CO2 emissions as well as trash littering the streets.
- Employ at-risk youth, taking them off the street and teaching invaluable life skills
- Counsel trauma survivors and provide healing through meaningful work and a supportive community.
- Gulu youth have experienced human trafficking, violence, and LRA war and IDP camps.
Thank you for visiting this GoFundMe campaign. As part of Pepperdine University’s masters’ program in Social Entrepreneurship and Change, we are headed to Gulu, Uganda in July to work for an incredible social enterprise - Takataka Plastics .
Crowdfunding for this organization is one aspect of our engagement with Takataka Plastic. Takataka Plastics is doing incredible work for the community of Gulu and their operations have outgrown their current setup.
As we embark on our journey to learn more about Takataka Plastics, we are honored to be learning from Paige and Peter, who at the forefront embody a collective community and make a difference for our planet. As students of social entrepreneurialism, we are seeking environmental solutions to issues not only impacting Africa but the world’s climate as a whole. Learning new ways from one another on how different cultures address climate change and its impact on biodiversity will not only benefit us as students and the enterprise, but the global community as we move forward on our journey as social entrepreneurs contributing to global change for the environment, the economy, and humanity as a connected entity.
What can you do to help?
Help us reach our fundraising goal by donating today!
Takataka is in need of a second collection truck in order to expand their impact and keep up with demand.
Your donation today will directly benefit the purchase of a second truck.
Thank you for your support. Visit this page in July for updates on the experience and the work.
Want to learn more? Keep reading:
Peter and Paige are problem solvers. When Paige started grad school at UC Berkeley in Fall 2017, she wanted to work on problems that were affecting her Ugandan friends, so she started researching plastic waste. She worked with Gulu University students to conduct an assessment of plastic waste in Gulu and interview 200+ people. Paige also met Peter who was working on plastic waste education through an organization he started called AfriGreen Sustain. They partnered together to form Takataka Plastics, and in January 2020, they opened a small plastic collection center, hired three staff, built prototype machines, and received Takataka’s first order. Now, Takataka Plastics can’t produce enough to keep up with the demand for our wall tiles, so they are working on scaling up operations in Gulu City to make more products and create more jobs while also creating a cleaner, healthier environment.
Thank you.
Alexa, Chloe, and Shana
MA candidates
Social Entrepreneurship and Change
Pepperdine University
Co-organizers3
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The Center for Impact Communications Inc
Beneficiary
Alexa Doyle
Co-organizer
Chloe Fahimian
Co-organizer