Sustainable waste management and women's entrepreneurship in Kenya

Event

Axjo Group AB, along with its subsidiaries Axjo Plastic AB, Perstorp Plastic Systems AB, Drumster Group AB, and Axjo America Inc, together with Reelab AB, announced last year their commitment as main partners in a charity project in collaboration with Hand in Hand Sweden. The Waste to Profit project, implemented in Mombasa and Kilifi County in Kenya, focuses on improving waste management and promoting entrepreneurship.

The total donation amounts to SEK 1.5 million and will span three years, starting January 2024. This partnership builds on the previous successful project in Kenya and India: "Waves of Change - Collaboration across seas and continents," which aimed to "reduce littering, increase the percentage of recycled plastic, change perceptions of people working in waste management, and create knowledge exchange between Kenya, India, and Sweden, where academic institutions, businesses, authorities, civil society, and the environmental sector from each country can coordinate and develop their sustainability strategies(1)."Jacob Nilsson, CEO of Axjo Group AB, and Kristin Nilsson, CEO of Reelab AB, unanimously share their view on the project: "We feel immense pride in being part of this meaningful initiative to promote sustainable waste management and support women's entrepreneurship, thereby enabling more children to go to school instead of working. Our overall vision with this main partnership is to actively contribute to creating opportunities for people to lead a dignified life, with an income that puts food on the table, access to healthcare, and improved working conditions.
The ability to provide for oneself and one's family is a fundamental factor in creating economic stability and contributing to social development. We strive to support projects that promote the building of healthy and sustainable communities, and we have the privilege to do this through our engagement with Hand in Hand Sweden."
The Waste to Profit project aims to achieve sustainable waste management and a circular economy along the coast of Kenya, with a primary focus on Mombasa and Kilifi County. The project's target groups include 6,000 people living in poverty, of which 80% are women and 40% are young. Education will focus on entrepreneurship in recycling and waste management, including accelerators for 600 existing entrepreneurs with the potential to scale up their recycling businesses. The project will strengthen the three fundamental principles of a circular economy - reduce, reuse, and recycle - and increase awareness of the impact of waste on the local environment and people's health.
Hand in Hand Sweden's program integrates themes such as circular economy, digitization, agriculture, climate and environment, human rights and democracy, youth and education for children, and the acceleration of entrepreneurs with great potential. "We are extremely pleased with the collaboration with such committed partners as Axjo Group AB and Reelab AB.
Strengthened by their expertise in the sector, together we will make a tremendous difference for thousands of people in this holistic effort in Kenya," says Ulrika Sundblad, responsible for corporate partnerships at Hand in Hand Sweden.
Hand in Hand Sweden currently conducts initiatives in India, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, with a focus on women and youth living on less than $3.20 per day. The organization follows Giva Sweden's quality code and has prepared an impact report in accordance with Giva Sweden's guidelines for impact reporting. Hand in Hand Sweden also holds a 90-account and is under the supervision of the Swedish Fundraising Control.

1 https://www.handinhandsweden.se/projekt/waves-of-change

MEDIA CONTACTS
Axjo Group
Dijana Bjelovuk
Executive Assistant
dijana.bjelovuk@axjo.com
+46 736 19 43 30

Reelab AB
Emma Nilsson
Business Development
emma.nilsson@reelab.com
+46 371 58 04 96

Hand in Hand Sweden
Ulrika Sundblad
Corporate Partnerships
ulrika.sundblad@handinhandsweden.se
+46 708 76 79 06