Oxford Urbanists Africa had the opportunity to interview Kenyan musician and changemaker, Juliani, the founder of Customer Bora. Customer Bora is an innovative initiative that works with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, community and local youth groups working to rid their environment of the burden of single-use plastics and waste by creating a circular economy framework.

The interview has been edited and condensed for publication.

Lubna Elmahdy: What issues inspired you to develop Customer Bora?

Juliani: Walking around the streets of Nairobi it is inevitable to see litter scattered around. Waste management in Nairobi and in Kenya has been a challenge for the government and its citizens.

In Kenya there is no linear waste disposal process, meaning that different stakeholders fill the gaps. County governments manage some of the waste collection processes, but the majority of waste collection is done by private sector companies. However, at the end of all collection in Nairobi, whether public or private sector, about 2,500 tons of waste generated daily ends up in the Dandora dumpsite.

Dandora is not merely a rubbish dump, the area is home to about 3,000 families who source their daily bread from the 12-hectare mound of rubbish foraging for plastics and used electronics which can be sold to nearby recyclers.  Many are even forced to feed their families the leftover food thrown in the dumpsite due to financial constraints. 

LE: How does your project seek to tackle these problems? 

J: Customer Bora is all about giving power to the people in making them responsible consumers of products which are packaged in single-use plastics, metals, glass, etc. Supporting youth groups who had been working on small-scale waste collection in communities such as Dandora, Customer Bora helps facilitate the groups by having an online platform which shows them which residences would like to have their waste collected at a small fee. After they’ve collected the waste, we put them in touch with recyclers who purchase the waste. In turn, giving the youth a sustainable livelihood, which will help them support themselves and their families without having to turn to crime to fulfill their needs.

This not only cleans the environment by ensuring that this waste ends up recycled and not in landfills but also promotes the financial stability of youth in the area. 

LE: Please explain to us how the project runs from collection to transformation of waste.

J: There is a lifecycle process that we follow, outlined below:

Collection: We have provided an online platform for people to account for the collections they’ve made according to type, quantity and brand of product. We then connect them with recyclers who purchase the waste and repurpose it.

Depositing: After collection, individuals using the Customer Bora online platform head to their nearest Taka Bank to deposit the waste collected, which is manned by the youth groups. They submit all collections and then receive points on their account according to their deposit. These points are used to purchase everyday items such as flour and sugar through the platform as well.

Redeeming: Once the user is logged into the online platform, they click the redeem button which gives them options to choose which type of prize they would like to acquire. Once they have selected it, they are free to collect it from their nearest Taka Bank, likely the one where they made their deposit. 

LE: How long has the project been running for and where?

J: Initially about 3 to 4 years ago, the project performed data collection on the amounts of waste generated and brought into Dandora according to the brand of the product. Consumers of these products would SMS the brand name of the product as well as the barcode serial number, which would facilitate easy tracking for Customer Bora but was cumbersome for consumers. We presented these findings to our partners such as Nakumatt, a major supermarket in East Africa. Those companies whose packaging was most prevalent would be able to see the need for further adoption of a sustainable consumption and production model. However, this vision changed when we met with the youth groups already performing their small-scale collections on the ground and we thought of looking at a more participatory approach with the groups and residents in the community. 

Currently, we work with Kenya Association of Manufacturers to get the attention of brand names, especially when the deposit process is conducted, as they get to see how much of their packaging is collected. As of now we have 25 Taka Banks in 6 neighborhoods in Nairobi: Dandora, Dagoretti, Umoja 3, Karen, Kilimani and Kibera. We also work with 21 youth groups who come from these different neighborhoods. The process is now conducted on a user-friendly online platform.

LE: Where do you see this project in the next five years?

J: In five years, I see the Taka Banks for Customer Bora being a place where youth not only deposit their collected waste and collect prizes but have the opportunity to grow all-round. Yes, the youth are making a short-term livelihood from the platform, however I envision the space Customer Bora has provided them to be one of inspiration, self-growth, and innovation.

In the near future, we are looking to install WiFi and possibly computer labs into all of the Taka Banks to give the residents a place to learn about the world and look beyond their country. We also hope to provide youth with workshops to develop their entrepreneurial and professional skills.

As we continue this venture, we are always looking at what other value additions we can make for the youth. This is at the forefront of what we do at Customer Bora and we are always looking for ways to empower the youth to be the change they want to see.

LE: What would you like people to know about how best we can tackle the problem of urban waste in Kenya and the continent? 

J: I would like people to know that change begins with themselves and it is ALL about BEHAVIOR. When they throw that piece of rubbish out of their car window or onto the street as they are walking, they are part of the global problem which they and everyone around them are complaining about. That’s why we need to stop looking outward to government, private sector and others when it comes to having the problem of waste solved for us. If we make a few lifestyle changes to how we consume and dispose products through platforms such as Customer Bora we will be well on our way to individualizing the global vision of the achievement of the SDGs and overall well-being of our planet.

Juliani is an award-winning hip-hop artist, entrepreneur, ambassador, speaker and activist. He believes in the innate ability of every person to find their own solution. He enables that magic to happen. He has over 16 years under his belt in the Kenyan and African hip-hop industry and is considered a pioneer within the industry. He has performed in Kenya, six other African countries, Europe and the United States of America.

Lubna Elmahdy holds a bachelor’s degree Cum Laude in International Relations from the United States International University-Africa (USIU-A). During her studies, she undertook research on the role of women in post-conflict community development in urban areas with a case study of Liberia and South Sudan. She is interested in the interlinkages within the sphere of urban development, specifically in analyzing the socioeconomic factors which drive resilience and inclusivity of cities in the African context. She is currently working in communications at the Stockholm Environment Institute - Africa headquarters, where she helps transform scientific research into human-impact stories. Prior to this, she worked in UN-Habitat as a digital media strategist, managing the social media platforms of the Executive Director. She has also worked in communications and events management at Nairobi Design Week, where she brought together African designers of all disciplines focused on human-centered design.