Visit the ECR House & Garden Show and support our UpLift and HandPicked entrepreneurs.
Our wastepreneurs will be exhibiting their 100% recycled coasters.
Our HandPicked entrepreneurs will be exhibiting fresh herbs and seedlings.
We’re excited to have a stand at the ECR House & Garden Show, from Saturday 29 June to Sunday 7 July at the Durban Exhibition Centre. Visit us and support our UpLift and HandPicked entrepreneurs, who are setting off on their small business journeys.
Our Uplift wastepreneurs, in partnership with The Litterboom Project and CHEP, will be exhibiting hexagonal coasters manufactured from plastic pollution intercepted by The Litterboom Project’s River Wardens.
Our HandPicked entrepreneurs will be exhibiting a selection of fresh herb mixes and seedlings, produced using African Grower modern hydroponic technology.
“We’re incredibly proud of our aspiring entrepreneurs, who are pursuing a more sustainable future,” said Octavius Phukubye, Executive Director of Mr Price Foundation.
“Youth unemployment continues to be a major problem in South Africa. It is currently at 45.5%, meaning there are 4.9 million young South Africans without jobs.* Yet, more young people remain hopeful and positive, especially those who aspire to start their own businesses,” Octavius said.
UpLift strives to unlock opportunities for youth entrepreneurs through four programmes: Wastepreneur incubation, HandPicked agribusiness incubation, Startup School entrepreneurial skills development, and Grassroots small business support.
“Our goal is for youth to operate successful, sustainable small businesses, and we support them to achieve their aspirations through access to infrastructure, mentorship, coaching and business development support,” Octavius said.
David Churchman, UpLift Programme Manager, encouraged the public to support these budding entrepreneurs at the ECR House & Garden Show by purchasing their products.
100% Recycled coasters
“When you support UpLift entrepreneurs, you support healthier communities and small businesses. Our wastepreneurs are manufacturing 100% recycled coasters from plastic pollution saved from our seas and rivers in Durban. Removing plastic pollution from the environment gives life to our waterways – and repurposing it gives life to sustainable small businesses,” said David.
The coaster manufacturing process begins with a dedicated team from The Litterboom Project intercepting plastic waste from rivers and beaches to prevent it reaching our ocean.
The plastic is sorted by type and colour, and washed and shredded at the Innovation Hub in Cornubia (which was launched together with our partners The Litterboom Project and CHEP). The shredded plastic is then fed into an injection moulding machine where it is further injected into moulds, where it cools and solidifies into the final coaster shape.
What is the Wastepreneur Programme?
The Wastepreneur pilot programme was launched in 2023 to develop the personal growth and small business acumen of wastepreneurs.
“The start of 2024 was a landmark in the growth of the Wastepreneur Programme. Our first two entrepreneurs from the pilot programme entered their second year of training; and another eight aspiring entrepreneurs started their first year, looking to gain knowledge and experience with a view to starting their own small businesses or becoming more employable in the blue/green economic space,” said Cameron Service, founder and CEO of The Litterboom Project.
The programme is composed of two parts: theoretical training and practical training and experience. It includes modules on the environmental crisis, waste as an aspect of the environmental crisis, and a deep dive into the world of plastic.
“Once wastepreneurs have a good grasp of plastic, they start building their knowledge of turning plastic into a business, with modules focusing on running a business, developing concepts and marketing,” explained Cameron.
Parallel to their theory, entrepreneurs master practical skills, from sorting and cleaning plastic to manufacturing items using an injection mould machine. They also gain experience from their involvement in TLPs buyback centre and connecting with people from Durban through Beach Jam events.
Practical training is not limited to plastic and each trainee spends dedicated time on a tablet every day to improve their interaction with devices and increase their typing proficiency.
Nelson Dumakude is our first graduate; and says the programme transformed his life. During the programme, Nelson produced a factory-quality recycled garden stake for Mr Price Home and subsequently gained full-time employment running commercial production for The Litterboom Project.
“The Wastepreneur Programme has changed my life in all kinds of ways. It has given me financial freedom. It has given me more ideas. It has given me life. If I didn’t do this, I think I would still be sitting at home without a job,” Nelson said.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR UPLIFT ENTREPRENEUR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
*Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) Q1: 2024.
