You Must Know Them: Daniel Kisitu (SIBC Top 10 Finalist)

Daniel Kisitu is the third runner up of the Social Innovators Bootcamp. He is the co-founder at Muafrica, an upcycling waste materials project.

IM(Identities Media)

DK (Daniel Kisitu)

IM: Tell us about yourself

DK: I am Daniel Kisitu, a Ugandan by nationality and I am aged 23. I am a young social entrepreneur and co-founder at muafrica repurpose enterprise, a project that aims at upcycling waste materials of rubber (discarded car and bike tires), and plastic tarpaulin into eco-products such as bags ,belts, wallets and many other accessories as a way to create employment and impacting urban refugees as we save the environment.

In 2020 I got an opportunity to join Lazima Nipate Academy (LNA) an organization empowering youth refugees and hosts to become social entrepreneurs. I have also managed to take part in Donors for Africa Bootcamp where I’ve been privileged to reach the top 10 finalists, undergone LNA incubation programme and won a seed grant through an acceleration pitching panel competition.I would like to be remembered as a great entrepreneur who supported improving people’s standard of living and cared for the environment and a person who helped to support livelihoods through using resources available such as upcycling of waste to various products.

IM: What drives the work that you do?

DK: I want to see myself living sustainably and impacting others in my community and other local communities within Uganda at large. Establishing a great and novel social enterprise to create employment opportunities to the youth and refugees while conserving the environment.Am passionate at Fashion Design and supporting others in my communities.

IM: What does being part of the ‘Top 10 Finalists in the Donors for Africa’s Social Innovators Bootcamp’ mean to you?

DK: Being nominated amongst the ‘Top 10 Finalists at Donors for Africa’s Social Innovators Bootcamp’ is one of my greatest achievements as a young entrepreneur who yearns to create and execute my dreams with my social enterprise. Taking part at Donor for Africa programme has really helped me gain and/or learn new ideas, networking with other social entrepreneurs from different backgrounds, and attaining entrepreneurs skills which I intend to apply into developing my enterprise and my day to day personal activities.

IM: What do you see in the near future after this?

DK: In the near future I see myself as a successful entrepreneur who has used waste to acquire wealth, create employment opportunities amongst disadvantaged youths especially refugees and job seekers. With my enterprise, I intend to empower my Community with innovative ways of reusing waste materials through the technology of upcycling thus emphasizing proper waste disposal.

I also intend to establish a sustainable social enterprise to enable us to impact and create employment by upcycling waste materials on a large scale to expand on the profits thus contributing to the revenue for the growth of my country.

IM: What are your parting words or advice for the next class and Africa at large?

DK: My kind advice to all the upcoming applicants for the Donors for Africa classes and Africa at large is; to trust in yourselves as you put God first in all your work, know what you want and get committed to it, keep patience as you believe in yourself for success.

Secondly, I would encourage each of the young Africans to take the responsibility toward becoming problem solvers with our passionate ideas.