University Education and Waste-to-Wealth Entrepreneurship for Youth Employment in Uganda
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Date
2019
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Sankt Augustin
Abstract
While universities are mandated to teach, research and do community outreach, studies reveal that typical university
communities live in relative isolation where research is more basic than applied. This study focused on; 1) determining
how WWE could be fostered through linkages between universities and external agencies (communities, public and
private sectors); 2) establishing how universities’ resources could be optimized to promote research and capacity
building for WWE. The dimensions of WWE studied were; 1) Technical & Business Models; 2) Capacity building; and
3) institutional frameworks. Baseline studies were conducted in which qualitative and quantitative data was collected
through questionnaires, interviews, documents analysis. Experimentations were carried out whereby Laboratory tests
on Bio-methane Potential (BMP) for different biomass types was conducted. A complete chain of briquettes
production and consumption has been successfully piloted at St Kizito High School in Namugongo, near Kampala.
The 20,000 kg of briquettes produced (from municipal bio-waste) by students monthly are used to cook in three
schools whose total population is 2000 students. With an average net profit of $ 3000, the project makes business
sense even in absence of social-benefit accounting. Based on start-up capital of $ 12,250, the payback period on
investment is 14.7 months. Bio-char (from carbonized waste) and briquette-ash are used as organic fertilizers and
biocide in vegetable gardens at the schools. New pathways for municipal waste management based on stakeholder
engagement and entrepreneurship are demonstrated; departing from the conventional waste collection and disposal
models. This circular enterprise which enhances Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land-use and Energy (FABLE) nexus
will scale-up to incorporate non-student communities (youths/women), private waste-collectors and entrepreneurs.
The application of entrepreneurial models for engaging students in green enterprises integrates technological, social,
economic and governance dimensions for promoting municipal sanitation, environment; energy and food security.
Description
Keywords
University Education, Entrepreneurship, Youth Employment, Uganda
Citation
Kakembo, F. (2019, March). University education and waste-to-wealth entrepreneurship for youth employment in Uganda. In Bode, Freitag (Eds.): Universities, Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development in Africa-Conference Proceedings 2018. Sankt Augustin, Germany, 13-14 September 2018 (pp. 146-161).doi: 10.18418/978-3-96043-071-1_146