Movement Uganda

1. Why do you work with Umuntu and what is your personal motivation?

I grew up in a slum community in Kampala, where I experienced the terrible consequences of poor waste disposal with plastic contamination on our streets, blockages in the canals, contamination of our water sources and even attacks on our homes. I remember those days when it rained so heavily that we spent all night pumping water out of our house, floods with animal and human waste polluting our water source, and those days meant no schooling. I remember a story of a colleague James Tibia (Rest in Peace) who was diagnosed with severe typhoid fever, who later killed him and many others who died of Chorela. Against all these resistances, I stood up and climbed to the light. My approach is an alternative waste management solution for collecting plastics and recycling them into Ecofloor tiles as an alternative to wooden panels for slums and rural Ugandans. UMUNTU is committed to water as a human right for all and supports initiatives to combat the effects of climate change. This has led me to work with them to pursue my personal goals. I am very proud to be part of this global movement.

2. What are the goals you want to achieve with Umuntu?

Our vision is to create a sustainable, green Africa free of poverty, unemployment and inappropriate housing conditions.

Our goal is to mobilise young people and women to collect and sort plastic waste in Uganda and recycle it into Ecofloor tiles as an alternative to wooden beams and cement. This is to combat unhygienic and polluted floors in Uganda.

Through this approach, we also reduce deforestation, CO2 emissions from the burning of plastics in open landfills, health problems from sleeping on unhygienic, dirty soils, and the effects of climate change!

We want to create green jobs for people who work for the plastics value chain, so that in three years over 500 young people and women can be employed nationwide as plastics collectors.

3. In which country and which region do we help you?

Franc Kamugyisha and his project “Ecoplastile” and “UMUNTU-Uganda” are located on Saza Hill, Factory Area, Bufunda Ward, along the Mbarara – Kamwengye Road in Western Uganda.

4. who are you and what is your background?

My name is Franc Kamugyisha and I am a serial, passionate social entrepreneur with the vision to create a sustainable green Africa without poverty, unemployment and inappropriate housing conditions. I am the founder and CEO of EcoPlastile and UMUNTU Uganda, co-founder of Lavender Mosquito Repallant Products Ltd, co-founder of Owino.net, co-founder and director of ISDNET Uganda and previously worked for Ibanda University as a real estate director.

I am a candidate for E4IMPACT MBA in Social Entrepreneurship at ALTIS and Uganda Martyrs University, have a BBA accounting certificate, a national certificate in construction and engineering, a certificate in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management and Introduction to Business Incubation from London College of International Business Studies, and a certificate in public administration and management.

I was selected as a TEF Fellow 2019 and was nominated in Uganda in the Startupper Challenge by Total 2018 for the top ranking project. I also received the Grow Movement Mentorship Award and the Social Innovation Academy Scholar Award 2018.

To my background

I grew up in a slum community in Kampala, where I experienced the terrible consequences of poor waste disposal with plastic contamination on our streets, blockages in the canals, contamination of our water sources and even attacks on our homes. I remember those days when it rained so heavily that we spent the whole night pumping water out of our house. These days meant no schooling, as floods would block all roads. The water catchment areas would also be contaminated by floods with plastics, human and animal waste. This situation is simply unacceptable for human life!