CONVERTING BIOMAS TO CLEAN ENERGY

 A qualified Electrical Engineer, innovative thinker who applies specialized technical skills and knowledge to create a new business idea that drive organizational growth. As a social entrepreneur, I have a deep knowledge of capital projects and infrastructure with sector experience in Energy and Power industry acquired over 13 years. As a social entrepreneur and a transformational leader, my social projects touch over 2000 lives in Nairobi, along the shores of Lake Victoria and refugee camps. My virtues touch on Relationship, Wisdom, Concern and courage. For this project (Bentos Energy) I have innovated a process of recycling harvested water hyacinth that is collected from the lake cover and is mixed with paper sludge and charred waste biomass to form a unique resin that is extruded into smokeless charcoal briquettes. The results are practically efficient, smokeless and cheaper source of energy with numerous benefits

Aquatic weed has covered over 30% of the fresh water Lake Victoria. Lack of an organised system of aquatic weed harvesting has resulted into undesirable water surface cover, difficulty of beach access for local fishermen, crude dumping of aquatic waste leading to heaps along the lake shores where clean-up is left mostly to natural water waves. In addition, there is massive and rapid decline in food security. Demand for organic fertilizers is sky rocketing to mitigate food insecurity. Bentos Energy is a manufacturing business involved in recycling waste biomass into affordable, clean, smokeless charcoal briquettes. The opportunity was born out of the fact that there is huge demand for affordable clean green energy and organic waste is hugely abundant and readily available.

The innovation is a process of recycling biomass from dumpsites and harvested water hyacinth that is collected from the lake cover and mixed with paper sludge.. 

The innovation is a process of recycling biomass from dumpsites and harvested water hyacinth that is collected from the lake cover and mixed with paper sludge from industries and charred waste biomass to form a unique resin that is extruded into smokeless charcoal briquettes. The results are practically efficient, smokeless and a cheaper source of energy with numerous advantages.

What specific problem are you solving?

• Affordable clean Energy -Every year 15,000 Kenyans dies from respiratory related diseases numbers higher than Malaria, HIV and Aids
• Waste management -Nairobi generates 30 metric tones
• Reduce deforestation-kenya currently has7.2% only where as the UN benc mark requirement is 10%
• Youth and women unemployment- Kenya has 50% youth unemployment rate
• Food Security-Kenya is only 35% food secure due to semi aridity

Converting Waste Biomass into Affordable Clean Energy and Organic Fertilizer

The main challenge is that invasive aquatic weed has covered over 30% of the fresh water Lake Victoria whereas the Nairobi dumpsite (Dandora) receives 30 metric tonnes every day. Lack of an organised waste management system o has resulted into undesirable water surface cover, difficulty of beach access for local fishermen, crude dumping of aquatic waste leading to heaps along the lake shores where clean-up is left mostly to natural water waves. In addition, there is massive and rapid decline in food security. Demand for organic fertilizers is sky rocketing to mitigate food insecurity. Bentos Energy is a manufacturing business involved in recycling waste biomass into affordable, clean, smokeless charcoal briquettes.

The innovation is a process of recycling harvested water hyacinth that is collected from the lake cover and mixed with paper sludge .. The results are practically efficient, smokeless and cheaper source of energy with numerous advantages.

• Over 800 jobs have been created along the value chain
• 4150 mature trees have been saved
• 3000 fishermen can now navigate landing beaches to access fish markets
• 430 tons of waste biomass has been harvested from the dumpsites

This project serves fisher men along the shores of Lake Victoria, refugees in norther Kenya, farmers in western Kenya and families living near the dumpsite in Nairobi. This project will have the following impact;

Eutrophication, ammonia and phosphorus emissions are mitigated during the process of collection and sorting of organic waste reduces Disease incidents in habitation bordering dumpsites.  .

Social impacts result from the procurement and production steps of the value chain and primarily target towards improvement of livelihoods of organic waste collectors. The technology will afford 2000 youth direct employment along the supply value chain and at the processing factory. 

By creating a sustainable solution to the growing waste menace, the initiative will provide an alternative to artificial fertilizers while offering job opportunities. 

Bentos Energy products are manufactured from aquatic biomass thus reducing undesired aquatic weed on the lake cover. This will help reduce water contamination and loss of aquatic life in line with its SDGs commitments. In the first year, over 430 tons of water hyacinth will be recycled. This will translate to 4150 mature trees; this is equivalent to 161.85 tons of CO2 saved from the environment. 

Providing network linkages that saw 6 corporate organizations come together to empower the project members. Those who were drug addicts were rehabilitated and sent to rehabilitation centres treatment. The organizations namely (World Vision, Mpesa Foundation, Chandaria Foundation, KCB Foundation, , Norwegian Refugee Council, ILO, E4I Foundation) .

Providing a bankable business plan was my responsibility that saw us present the plan to the philanthropic investors to fund the equipment. Some of the funds were used for counselling . Back in Kisumu members congregated under St James Alara Anglican Church to rehabilitate beach members involved in aquatic weed harvesting.

As an Engineer and consultant, I was assigned to train residents living near the dumpsite (Dandora), Nairobi City dumpsite. Upon submitting my report i became curious on if the material dumped at the site could have any economic value. So i started scientific technical investigations on what gas was being emitted from the site which i found out to be 72 % biomass. So, an idea come in on how to harvest the biomass for charring into biochar using kilns for power clean domestic briquettes to produce fuel. I thereafter did write a business plan which ended on to win a business plan competition award... I therefore decide to settle on biomass whose quantities i had earlier established. I commenced the biomass recycling project but later found that it was very suitable for domestic cooking. Thereafter, the journey of discovering a new technology that will make it very efficient. The reach developed a resin of biomass and paper sludge, which is an affordable clean source of energy that 50% cheaper. The project recruited residents living in the dumpsite vicinity and we have since replicated it in Mogadishu (Somalia) and Kismayu.

As a social entrepreneur and leader, am passionate about social change and empowering local communities. I have seen youth and women transform from dumpsite scavengers to earn a decent living from the material they supply the project. Many who were street boys and prostitutes today lead decent and responsible lives. Households have found affordable source of fuel that can afford many aspiring Kenyans healthy living. we operate on the Eastern part of Nairobi where the dumpsite is located. So far, all those that are involved in the project have been introduced into Micro Finances and Banks like Equity Banks. They are all members of CBO's (Community based Organizations and Self-help Groups operating formally and are government registered. Today people refer to them as Micro Entrepreneurs. Many have been trained to operate machines and have been recruited in the project as artisans making mechanical equipment and machine operators where they earn regular income and are no longer street urchins or resident prostitutes. Am inspired to see people’s lives change for the good herein Kenya and Somalia (Mogadishu) and Kismayu where former AL Shabab fighters are now integrated into civil society.

As a servant woman leader and a social entrepreneur i have in me the following God given traits that help elevate people to make them people of substance.

• Transformational and Innovative Leadership passion: I address big, critical issues in communities with powerful, tangible solutions. I identify people with talent, skills, background, and experience to create change in the society.
• Purpose-Driven: Am driven to know why people are doing what they do work, why the issues they are tackling are important to them and their community, results to date, and how they and my work can inspire others.
• Problem Solving: My ideas and implementation are innovative, my messaging more effective? I have the ability to persevere and transform obstacles into opportunities? Have i been successful to date?
• Radically Diverse: Whether they are entrepreneurs where ever they are, 
• Resilient: I want want to learn about their challenges and failures and how i   help them overcome.
• At a Tipping Point: I am already driven by their impact through my work and are well-positioned to do much more and inspire others to make change using the significantly larger audience and range of resources offered by the opportunity.

• Providing network linkages that saw corporate organizations come together to empower the project members. Those who were drug addicts were rehabilitated and sent to rehabilitation centres treatment. The 6 organizations namely (World Vision, Mpesa Foundation, Chandaria Foundation, KCB Foundation, St James Alara ACK Church, ILO, E4I Foundation) came together to fund the plastic crushing machine, Densifiers and skills training for 6 months.
• Providing a bankable business plan was my responsibility that saw us present the plan to the philanthropic investors to fund the equipment.
• Some of the funds were used for counselling to make members forge their past to change for the better.
• Most of the members had no national identity and I had work with administrative authorities to get them registered in order to be bankable

• The difficult challenge of understanding what were street urchins and prostitutes who hardly went to school was one of the most challenging moments. Bringing my understanding to their level of thinking given the varied backgrounds we come from.  Training them in the transformation process to be integrated back into society was a serious challenge. Getting them to drop using drugs and glue sniffing to be acceptable. In society

• Bentos Energy Limited is a diverse member organization. This is an organization involved in Manufacturing (Recycling biomass into, Church Ministry, Organic Fertilizer through its siter organization, Eco- Biofertilizer, Alara Greening Investment, Management Consultancy. The holding firm owns stakes in Bentos Energy as a subsidiary. Collaborations on dealing with the community gives them leverage in addressing social challenges touching on energy provision, food security 

The innovation is a process of recycling harvested water hyacinth that is collected from the lake cover and mixed with paper sludge and charred waste biomass to form a unique resin that is extruded into smokeless charcoal briquettes. The results are practically efficient, smokeless and cheaper source of energy with numerous advantages.

• Over 800 jobs have been created along the value chain
• 4150 mature trees have been saved
• 3000 fishermen can now navigate landing beaches to access fish markets
• 430 tons of waste biomass has been harvested from the dumpsites

The main challenge is that invasive aquatic weed has covered over 30% of the fresh water Lake Victoria whereas the Nairobi dumpsite (Dandora) receives 30 metric tonnes every day. Lack of an organised waste management system  has resulted into undesirable water surface cover, difficulty of beach access for local fishermen, crude dumping of aquatic waste leading to heaps along the lake shores where clean-up is left mostly to natural water waves. In addition, there is massive and rapid decline in food security. Demand for organic fertilizers is sky rocketing to mitigate food insecurity. Bentos Energy is a manufacturing business involved in recycling waste biomass into affordable, clean, smokeless charcoal briquettes. The opportunity was born out of the fact that there is huge demand for affordable clean green energy and organic waste is hugely abundant and readily available.

At Bentos Energy our Theory of Change approach, with its focus on continuous critical reflection, demands a radical shift towards more and better learning in development thinking and practice. No new tool or approach can in itself address problems of institutional incentives in the sector that block such learning.

Theory of Change  at Bentos Energy is a specific type of methodology for planning, participation, and evaluation that is used in Bentos Energy project to promote social change. Our theory of Change defines our long-term goals and then maps backward to identify necessary preconditions.

These will include social transformation that champions a clean environment,sustainable development that facilitates youth and women employment and livelihood improvement,clean energy where drastic reduction of respiratory illness is witnessed while food security is guranteed in kenya.

Currently we serve 2000 people

We expect to serve at least 5000 people in the next five years . We expect to expand to:

Somalia where we have already partnered with African Solutions on Joint Venture.

South Sudan

Democratic Republic of Congo

Ghana

Bukina Faso

Ethiopia

The current model where youth and women are aggregated into Self Help Groups and Community Based Organization. 

Members of these groups are trained on recycling technologies and industrial skills then they are contracted to supply specific quality and quantity of raw material at specified contract price. 

In the next five years

We expect to have acqured an industrial line to address tea factories and oi processing factories

We expect to have a resouce centres where members and the public  can share skills and technologies of cleaning the environment.

We will aggressively campagn to promote the use of briquetts to repace wood charcoal that poses a threat to forests in Kenya

We expect to recruit skilled professionals to compliment procurement and supply chain logistics , aggressive marketing campain, increase raw  processing  and sales through increased working capital

1. Limited product awareness
2. Limited production line and inefficient production.
3. Reduce taxes levied on SME's like Bentos Energy
4. Improve logistics and supply chain to reach the target market
5. Limited capital injection to facilitate expansion
6. Limited specialized skills on key fronts  

1. Limited product awareness -we will agressively campaign through all nedia channels to reach target market
2. Limited production line and inefficient production. We will acquire efficient modern production line
3. Reduce taxes levied on SME's like Bentos Energy-Lobby through affiliate organization like KEPSA and SESOK
4. Improve logistics and supply chain to reach the target market- acquire trucks and three wheelers to facilitate distribution and procurement
5. Limited capital injection to facilitate expansion- Acquire funding through grants , equity injection and convertible notes to raise capital
6. Limited specialized skills on key fronts  -Recruit specialized skills and professionals to drive expansion

Tangaza University- Training

catholic University of Milan- Training

E4 I Accelerator- Funding and training

University of Nairobi ( Wangari Mathai Institute of Peace and Environment)

Y Gap Accelerator-Funding

Nairobi Innovation Challenge-Funding

Sinapis Academy- Training

20 Community Based Organizations- Raw material Supply

15 Self Help Groups- Supply of raw Material

World Vision- Funding and Training

Growth Africa capital - Training and Funding

Entrprenueship for Impact 

We recycle waste biomas and sell to house holds whose challenge is high cost of clean energy. We sell to stockists and distibutors who then ulimatly sell to house hold consumers

Our Customer Segments- house holds all over eastland like Komarok ,Umoja, Eastleigh,Donholm and industries like KD Wire

Value Proposition- Affordaboloty and smokeless

Channnels- Distributors and Stockists

Customer Relationships- both institutionla partnerships like shools, Hospitals and eateries and restaurants

Revenue Streams- Sale of briquetts and fertilizer

Key Resources- Personel, Biomas Raw material, Machinery 

Key Activities-Waste aggregation, manufacturing , selling and distribution of briquetts and fertilizer

Key Partnerships- E4I, The Guarage, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Tangaza University, University of Nairobi and several Community Based Organizations  

Cost Structure Direct Costs+ Overheads+ margins of 43%

Profit $43% -65% profit Margins on Briquetts and Fertilizer

Sustained Donations and Grants-We are applying for various funding agencies for grants to enable us acquire and industrial line while agressively marketing on various mediaplatforms to achieve market targerts We are looking forawrd to raising $300,000 for capital production equipment ( Industrial Briquette Line)

Cotractual Parnerships-These are supply contracts and tenders to social institutions like shools . tourist lodges ,eateries and prisons 

 Selling Products or Services- We provide  Consultancy , sale Briquettes and organic fertilzer to hose holds to generate revenues. We expect to sell a minimum of 400 bags of briquetts a month to breakeven monthly

 Raising Investment Capital We are raising grants, equity and convertible notes as investment towards achieving our sustained operational capital. We look to raise $300,000 from partners and potential investors

We have so far raised $190,000 in investment from frieds and family, grants and loans

We won the Ishow Award in 2018 for $10,000 grant

                    E4I Award         2016 for $2,500 scholarship grant 

                     E4I Award         2019       8,000  Grant 

                     Y Gap Award     2018       2,000 grant

                     Nairobi Innovation Challenge $ 1000 sholarship Award

                     Friends and family $ 167,500 Equity investment 

We look forward to raise $300,000 to aquire an:- 

Industrial Production Line that will cost us $120,000. 

Personel Recruitment  of special skills will require  100,000

Marketing Campaign and awareness  will require      80,000 

In 2020 we expect to generate $46,500 in revenues generated from sale of briquettes .To generate this revenues we will incure costs of $ 32,550 in Raw Material, Direct Overheads ,Direct Labour and  Overheads.

With the Covid 19 disoriantation we have looked at our sales projection figures very conservatively . These figures are prudent having considered our historical performance in 2018 and 2019

Funding to expand our producion line to industrial briquettes is a barrier to grow and market the project accross the country and recruit more professionals to drive specialized services.

Funding and revenue model-Funding for working capital is currently inadequate .Currently customer deposits are what goes into financing production limitting the ability to stock for emergencies and unexpected sales.
Talent recruitment-Recruiting specialized production peronnel is key to attaining the project goal and currently this is humpered by inadequate funding.
Mentorship and/or coaching-Currently there is inadequate mentorship by leading industrialists in the energy sector
Board members or advisors-Currently we only have a board of Directors and not adavisors
Legal or regulatory matters-We experience legal challenges for lack of legal advice
Monitoring and evaluation
Marketing, media, and exposure- Inadequate markketing and media exposure is a challenge which needs adress

Leading industrialists in Kenya like Bidco industries leader Vimal Shah and Lean Energy leader Mr Patel.

Chardust Ltd leader

Industrialist Chris Kirubi of Tiger Industries

We need to be linked to leading bankers like james Mwangi of Equity Bank to strengthen our financial position.

Tony Elumelu of United bank of Africa and Tony Elumelu Entreprenural Program

Aliko Dangote of Dangote Group

Banjelou of Bank of Africa

Kenya Commercial Bank Foundation

Constituency Development Fund

Youth Development Fund

E4I Foundation