Zelij Invent

We produce paved roads using plastic waste that link villages to national road, which will serve to solve the isolation of these villagers and allow them to travel to study or work; Problems faced by this population because of the infrastructure and which hampers their academic or professional ambitions.

ZELIJ (arabic word of floor product) is a startup based in Tangier, Morocco with a mission to reduce plastic wastes in Africa, in a sustainable way. ZELIJ produce an environmental solution to floor covering products such as pavers and floor tiles made from recycled plastic waste, with the same characteristics as regular product, more durable and three times cheaper. With Zelij products we aim to eliminate more than 1000 tons of plastic wastes by the end of the year. This eco-friendly method of building tiles will not only increase the efficiency of energy used, but also reduce waste impact on human well-being and the environment.

Finally, a part of the annual turnover recorded will be invested in the Walk Green program, initiated by the ZELIJ Invent company, which consists on building paved runways between isolated villages and national roads in Morocco. . This will also create job opportunities for local workers in each program implementation region. For this year we will develop the program in 5 regions in Morocco and then develop it in other African countries. By itself, this program can create up to 30 job opportunities.

Plastic has become a major problem, and one that must be addressed in order to solve the world’s resource and energy challenges. Millions of plastic items are disposed of on a daily basis, creating piles of plastic waste everywhere. This has brought serious damages to local environments around the world in terms of water, air and soil pollution.

A second one is the lack of infrastructure, which require other problems such as isolation of villages and school dropout, two major problems in Africa which hinders notonly the education of citizens but also their professional projects and thus the country economy.

We strongly believe that our idea can make a difference and impact many people. The most important thing today but surely the most expensive are the infrastructure that represents the challenge of each nation that is why to implement sustainable infrastructure at low cost will really make the difference.

Our solution will not only rid our society of several thousand tons of plastic but also transform it into a sustainable infrastructure through the Walk Green program. The purpose of this program is to build paved roads that link the villages to the national roads, which will serve to solve the isolation of these villagers.This will also create job opportunities for local workers in each program implementation region. For this year we will develop the program in 5 regions in Morocco and then develop it in other African countries. By itself, this program can create up to 30 job opportunities.

Contract - 30 Job opportunity

road built - 5 Implementation Regions

the number of people living in the area - 20.000 user of the roads

We have developed a new product, using new materials and especially a new automatic and ecofriendly process, a manufacturing process of construction products without using water an unavoidable ingredients for the products on the market. So we propose à harder and economic products.

Thanks to the Walk Green program we will create job opportunities for local workers in each program implementation region and also transform the plastic wastes in those regions. For this year we will develop the program in 5 regions in Morocco and then develop it in other African countries. By itself, this program can create up to 30 job opportunities.

We will build infrastructure that is accessible to everyone, what better than provide sustainable infrastructure to an isolated community.

The ZELIJ startup has already attracted the attention of several accelerators, incubators and companies such as LafargeHolcim, Maghreeb Steel and the EMPACT program of ENACTUS Moroccco and OCP Maroc, with whom we have partnerships, National and international incubators like Moroccan CISE, NUMA and the British council. Thanks to these programs and partnerships, we were able to raise a $ 24,000 fund.

We must solidify our supply chain and have international coverage as well a patent for invention to protect our innovation.

https://www.facebook.com/zelij.zelij

To improve and spread our impact we need international connections with other networks the Solve program can therefore be the chance to develop our project and implement our Walk green program in other countries and regions.

LafargeHolcim Morocco and Maghreb Steel. Managerial and organizational support from our incubators British Council, Moroccan CISE, NUMA, ENACTUS Morocco and EMPACT initiated by the OCP. For the raw materials we have signed partnerships with three companies CTRD and ECOVAL (two waste collection and sorting companies), and Be Green Corp.

Our main competitor in Morocco are companies producing paving stones like Menara Holding.