M-taka app creates jobs for youth through waste management

Through M-taka application software, a flagship product, the platform helps community members to effectively manage their waste and earn an income in the process. 

Locals have capitalised on the app by providing their waste to the company's verified agents or buy-back centers who in turn pay them either in cash or accumulate kilos to points to purchase an item. 

M-taka also provides support to waste workers, primarily vulnerable workers and street youths, to access key services such as healthcare, education and referral to other services.

Waste workers are also equipped with training on how to become financially independent. 

Benson Abila, founder of M-taka, explained that the enterprise has partnered with the Kisumu County Government to enhance value addition. 

"We have invested in value addition and have a facility; Maendeleo Recovery facility that is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with Kisumu County and managing that Kisumu West Actors Network Association," Benson Abila, founder of M-taka explained. 

"The goal is once the material is brought to that facility, we're able to add value to it and purchase from our agency at a better price."

To boost creation of local job opportunities, M-taka has also partnered with Ondiek Tentop Youth Group to effectively sensitize the community on waste management. 

"We're doing waste management that is collecting waste from households. We also have a buyback centre where clients come with the recyclables and get paid. We're encouraging separation of recyclables from the source," Fred Misach, chairman of Ondiek Tentop Youth Group, remarked. 

"We're glad to partner to partner with M-taka which helps us to record the materials from the households and buyback. It helps a client to track the recyclables they have been bringing in to Ondiek." 

Overall, the enterprise has recorded a 31 per cent increase in plastic waste collection and 57 per cent in separation of waste at source. 

Further, they have assisted over 4,000 community members, trained over 200 agents and provided more than 180 local jobs. 

Owing to its contribution to the society, the platform has scooped the Presidential Innovation Award  the Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA's) breakfast meeting in October 2024. 

The platform has also emerged runners up at the 2023 Circular Economy Award and a finalist at the 2023 global Afri-Plastics Challenge.