MADE IN KENYA: Mokomaya startup turning glass bottle waste into impressive artefacts

As part of tackling the glass waste problem, a local entrepreneur is now upcycling glass bottles into useful products such as vases and cups.

When the Covid 19 pandemic hit in 2020, Nyandia Kamawe quit her job as a fine arts teacher to make products from glass bottle waste.

Infusing her knowledge of fine arts and passion for environmental conservation, she founded Mokomaya.

"Mokomaya is a company that is closing the loop on glass bottle waste. At the time it was a creative business because that is my background, and with it has evolved into a sustainable business the more and more we understood the circular space. We are disrupting that cycle and going directly to the bars, the outlets and houses and having that bottle waste come to us. Then we cut it and convert it into things that you can use at your home, office and garden," Nyandia says.

From drinking glasses to bowls and platters, Mokomaya makes many products from the glass bottle waste, using designs developed by Nyandia and her team.

"The first step is cutting, once you cut the edges are rough so you need to smoothen or take the hard edges off. Then the final process is polishing, which gives it a smooth finish so that you are not able to tell it was originally a glass. It then goes into cleaning and if we are decorating it then it’s either going to be hand painted; we either add an accent of wood or brass," she explains.

She partners with corporates to enhance sustainable waste management. To meet the extended producer responsibility guidelines, the venture gets most of the glass bottle waste from beverage maker EABL.

Mokomaya only employs female artisans as part of the plan to empower and impart life changing skills in them. Lina Ongoro is one of the artisans here. 

"I have been here for 7 months. My work is at the production unit, this is where we recycle the glasses using machines. I learnt everything here at Mokomaya, the company takes us for training for at least one week. My experience has been awesome and fun. Before I came here I was actually a mama fua, with the mama fua job it’s not stable like here. It’s a source of livelihood for me, I come here I earn. Secondly, I’ve learnt teamwork, we work together," Lina says.

And as Nyandia says they look to diversify into more products.

"We are going to be able to do more with glass than what we currently offer, we are also going to go into more products, so we are looking into going into more handmade products that are sustainable; products that are good for people and the environment."