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The compost revolution starts now!
Since starting our journey in 2019, we found 1000s of people who instinctively feel that it is wrong to throw organic waste in the bin and they are actively looking for ways to avoid their food waste going to landfill. However, most of them haven't found the right solution that meets their needs yet...
The simplest way to compost food scraps at home is to have a compost heap in the garden, but most people are looking for a solution which has no odour, no flies, no vermin and no mess. We believe that if we can make composting so convenient that it can be done at the touch of a button, more people will take it up. We think technology is the solution.
In our collection model which we've been doing for 3 years, we realised that organic waste is 90% water so we're actually just trucking around water - which is inefficient. Although there is a net benefit of ensuring the organic waste gets composted rather than landfilled, we think the whole way society manages our waste needs updating. We believe that our food waste should be composted at our own homes which also helps us enrich our own soils.
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We named our solution iCompost because we believe each of us need to take responsibility for our waste ourselves. Many of us are waiting for government to provide a free solution but that is unlikely to happen anytime soon in an emerging economy like South Africa, so " 'i' need to compost my food scraps at home".
'i' also refers to the product's identity of what it 'intelligently' does for you.
Based on global experience...
My journey into composting of organic waste was borne out of my experience with working with farmers while doing water research...During my international Msc in Integrated Water Resource Management in Germany, Vietnam and Jordan, I realised that the soil is the most important component in the water cycle.
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However, that soil is being lost in urban areas without us realizing how it is affecting our water quality and quantity. Additionally, while volunteering for Green & Book Ambassadors to clean-up trash around Vietnam, I realised that waste is a serious problem.
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But with my civil engineering qualification and experience, I know that waste is just resource that hasn’t reached its full potential yet. So my mission is to return soil to urban areas while reducing waste. How lucky are we that compost can solve both of these issues!
Himkaar Singh
Gamuchirai Mutezo
Gamuchirai Mutezo has a PhD from the University of the Witwatersrand and École Normale Supérieure (ENS-Paris), specialising in Urban Biogas Circular Economies.
She has more than 9 years’ work experience spanning across the following sub-sectors: urban planning, renewable energy (organic waste-to-energy) and entrepreneurship, all of which underpin her research interests. Some experience is a culmination of formal education
while the other is on-the-job training and exposure, learning from good and bad experiences, from partners and clients, as well as observations and conversations.
Additional experience spans from being Chief Operations Officer of a Startup Campus based in Johannesburg (GEN Africa 22 ON SLOANE), SAPI Gauteng Interim Chairperson, as well as Chief Executive Officer of Madam Waste (Urban and Energy Planners with a keen focus on integrating clean energy in African cities).
In the media
Compost Entrepreneur Makes Forbes 30 Under 30 List
“Being selected for the 30 Under 30 list is an incredible honour,” he says. “ When I ventured into this business, my only goal was that of creating a meaningful impact with a sustainable business model. I am extremely grateful to the Forbes Africa team for this recognition and hope my business journey can inspire other young entrepreneurs to find a way to find purpose while driving profit.”
Waste not: the smart business turning food destined for landfill into compost – right in your kitchen
"We have an out-dated philosophy of waste management - where if I produce a banana peel, then it's the whole of society's problem to deal with it, that's why we have waste trucks and landfills. If we divert the organics away from the landfill, and compost them in an aerobic environment, the process only releases carbon dioxide which is much less potent than methane, and results in a valuable soil conditioner which is so important for the future of farming."
Turning Waste Into Compost Overnight!
"The simplest way to compost food scraps at home is to have a compost heap in the garden, but most people are looking for a solution that has no odour, no flies, no vermin and no mess. The Compost Kitchen believes that if we can make composting so convenient that it can be done at the touch of a button, more people will take it up. They think technology is the solution."
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Sustainability is key
"The soil’s impact on the water cycle is the most significant out of any other factors related to water. One critical aspect of soil, which is particularly important, is its organic matter content. The organic matter is what enables the soil to act as a sponge and gives food to all life in the soil.”
The Compost Kitchen unveils innovative product that turns food waste into fertiliser
"The Compost Kitchen received direct mentorship; access to expert opinions, insights and inputs for their business; third-party collaborations on their purpose; brand identity and marketing; regular progress workshops; and access to legal, IT, accounting and other business services."
Composting is good for business, customers and the planet
"Meet Himkaar Singh and the Compost Kitchen, the impact business changing the organic recycling waste game, for the planet and for their customers. The Branson Centre for Entrepreneurship is proud to support this innovative startup and the entrepreneur behind it, working together to make profit and make a difference."
The John Perlman Show
"People are already looking for ways to avoid their food waste going to landfill"