Innovation Hubs
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.
Establishing plastic recycling workspaces
In June 2020 Plastiki Rafiki established the Plastiki Rafiki Charitable Trust with the aim to help establish and support community plastic recycling workspaces in key locations around Kenya.
In addition to the main workshop at ISK, Plastiki Rafiki have set up a workspace in Diani on the Kenyan Coast and one in the Mathare informal settlement in Nairobi and is in the process of setting up another 3 workspaces in key locations around Kenya.
All in for development
Plastiki Rafiki operates on a fully not-for-profit basis and has been supported through grants as well as the sale of recycled plastic products that they sell through selected shops and the recently launched online platform.
100% of the profits from the sale of their products goes towards machine and product development to expand the possibilities of grassroots recycling in Kenya while raising awareness about the dangers of single-use plastics and drive the innovations and behavioral shifts we need to end their use.
To find out more, visit www.plastikirafiki.com