Innovation Hubs
While aiming for political and industrial change on a nation wide level, the Flipflopi initiates and supports small-scale projects to create tangible positive change on a local level.
Kwale Plastics Plus Collectors
Kwale Plastic Plus Collectors (KPPC) is an initiative to clean up our land, rivers, beaches and ocean, through upgrading waste management systems. Based in Diani, KPPC - the social enterprise arm of Flipflopi - is introducing a sustainable ‘closed-loop’ post-consumer waste management practice, in partnership with the Kwale County Government.
Currently, KPPC has set up 30+ waste collection points around Diani to collect and segregate residential waste (plastic, glass, paper, and metal), aiming to inspire better waste disposal habits as well as improved disposal activities and systems across their community.
Takataka Foundation, Lamu
Birthed on Lamu Island, Takataka Foundation - co-founded by Flipflopi’s very own captain and builder, Ali Skanda, - was created on the belief that the local community can make a difference to clean up their island, protect their immediate environment and restore their island to its natural beauty.
Over the past year, Takataka Foundation has grown from supporting cleanups across Lamu Town and its neighbouring villages, to establishing Lamu's first ‘closed-loop’ sustainable waste management facility. Their goal is to educate the community on proper waste management as well as to highlight the value of waste.
Plastiki Rafiki, Nairobi
Plastiki Rafiki is an award winning social enterprise based at the International School of Kenya (ISK) whose mission is to clean up the local environment by empowering communities to earn a living by recycling plastic through creative manufacturing techniques and product design. Plastiki Rafiki was established in August 2018 and has quickly grown to become the leading manufacturer of low cost plastic recycling machines and product molds targeted towards the informal “jua kali” sector.
All machines are designed and manufactured at the ISK Design and Fabrication Lab using Open Source standards from Precious Plastic making them easy to fix and maintain locally. Over the last two years they have developed 6 different machines that enable the processing of waste plastic into unique products and have designed over 60 unique moulds that can be used in conjunction with these machines.
They continue to innovate and improve their recycling processes to make them cheaper, safer and more environmentally friendly. Recent innovations include the design of a pedal powered plastic shredder and a biogas powered compression oven to enable off-grid plastic recycling. Plastiki Rafiki builds the machines, designs molds and conducts relevant training in plastic recycling and mold design allowing everyone to become a waste plastic entrepreneur.