Country of Residence
Kenya
Age
20
Project title
Sauti Waste: Connecting Informal Workers
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
Sauti Waste is a low-tech USSD and SMS platform that connects informal waste pickers in Mathare directly to local recycling hubs, helping them secure fair market prices without needing internet or smartphones.
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
Project Category
My project is an existing project that I started
Project Stage
Pilot-Stage (We’ve tried an activity or two)
Founding Story: What was the spark that led you to start your project? What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?
My "Aha!" moment happened during a community mapping exercise in Mathare when I met a local waste picker struggling under the weight of a full sack. I watched him spend three hours walking between different recycling hubs, only to find one closed and the price for his plastics drastically dropped. He lost half a day’s potential income simply because he lacked real-time information. Having just participated in the UNESCO Youth Hackathon, where I learned to design human-centered, accessible tech solutions, it suddenly clicked. The digital economy is leaving these hardworking individuals behind because modern apps require expensive smartphones and data bundles. I realized that a simple, offline USSD tool could solve his exact problem. That day, the spark ignited. I decided to move from ideation to action, immediately starting the foundational research and securing community buy-in from local hubs to launch this pilot.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
The core problem is a severe communication and information gap. Informal waste pickers in Mathare operate in isolation, often losing up to 40% of their potential daily income because they lack access to real-time market information, such as which hubs are currently open and what materials are in highest demand. This lack of data leaves them highly vulnerable to exploitation by middlemen who dictate unfair prices. This matters deeply to me because these workers are the invisible backbone of Nairobi's recycling ecosystem, yet they remain trapped in poverty. As a student at the University of the People, I believe technology should be an equalizer, not a barrier. Because these workers often lack smartphones or internet access, traditional apps fail them. Solving this through an accessible USSD and SMS platform will not only stabilize their daily income but also restore their economic dignity by giving them the information they need to negotiate fairly. It empowers an overlooked community to participate more fully and safely in the local economy.
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
Our solution, Sauti Waste, is a low-tech USSD and SMS platform designed specifically for workers who do not own smartphones or have internet access. It solves the information gap through three simple steps: 1. USSD Price Check: A waste picker dials a simple shortcode (e.g., *384#) on any basic feature phone. An automated menu asks them to select the material they have (e.g., 1 for Plastics, 2 for Metals). The system instantly replies with the current fair market price and a list of nearby open recycling hubs. 2. Inventory Reporting: The picker can reply via SMS to confirm the quantity they are bringing. This alerts the hub manager, ensuring the picker's materials are expected and purchased immediately upon arrival. 3. Feedback Loop: Hub managers update their daily prices on a simple backend dashboard (accessible via a smartphone or computer), ensuring the data the pickers receive is always accurate. In action: Instead of walking for hours to multiple hubs only to find one closed or offering low prices, a picker checks their phone before leaving their collection point. This saves time, saves transport costs, and guarantees they get the best price for their materials, directly increasing their daily income.
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
Because we are currently at the pilot stage, our impact is measured by the groundwork we have laid and the immediate targets we are about to hit. Impact so far: We have directly engaged 15 informal waste pickers in Mathare through interviews to validate the problem. We have also secured formal buy-in from 2 local recycling hub managers who have agreed to use our backend system to update prices. Most importantly, we have brought this issue to the forefront for these workers, showing them that technology can work for them. Future Impact (The Pilot): Over the next 3 months, our goal is to directly impact 40 waste pickers by training them during a community onboarding workshop and providing them with free access to the USSD system. The Numbers we expect: Based on our initial research, we expect the platform to save each picker an average of 2 hours a day in travel time. By securing fair market prices and eliminating middleman exploitation, we project that the platform will increase their daily income by at least 20-30%. This means more food on the table, better school fees for their children, and a safer, more dignified way to earn a living in Mathare.
Your Innovation: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there? How is your project new or innovative?
Most technology solutions aimed at the informal sector rely on smartphone applications, which fail because waste pickers cannot afford smartphones or daily data bundles. Sauti Waste is innovative because it uses "frugal technology" to meet the community exactly where they are. We are taking an existing, basic technology, USSD (the same tech used for mobile money) and SMS and applying it to solve a specific supply chain problem in waste management. Our innovation lies in two key areas: 1. Zero-Barrier Access: The platform requires zero internet data and works on the cheapest feature phones. It is completely inclusive. 2. Two-Way Marketplace: Unlike other apps that just provide information, Sauti Waste creates a direct transaction loop. Pickers check prices and report their inventory via SMS. This guarantees the hub manager knows they are coming, saving the picker hours of waiting and ensuring they get paid instantly. We are transforming basic mobile phones into powerful economic tools for marginalized workers.
How many people are on your team?
3
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
Our core team consists of three dedicated individuals, including myself, operating with a collaborative and flat leadership structure: Myself (Project Lead and Product Designer): I drive the overall vision, manage stakeholder relationships with the recycling hubs, and lead the user experience design based on my UNESCO Hackathon training. I ensure the USSD flow is incredibly simple for users with low digital literacy. Evelyne Odira and Felistus Minyiega are the technical lead.
What’s Next: What are the next steps you plan to take to grow or strengthen your project over the next year? If your project is still in the idea stage, describe the steps you will take over the next three months to launch or begin developing it.
Over the next three months, we will move from our current pilot groundwork into full execution: Month 1 (Development & Partnership): We will finalize the USSD wireframes and hire a local developer to build and host the platform. Concurrently, we will formalize our partnerships with the two local recycling hubs in Mathare, training their managers on how to use the simple backend dashboard to update daily prices. Month 2 (Onboarding & Pilot Launch): We will host a one-day community workshop to onboard 40 waste pickers. We will provide hands-on training and distribute printed quick-reference guides. Immediately after, we will launch a 4-week active pilot, providing free USSD access and SMS bundles to all 40 participants. Month 3 (Evaluation and Scaling Strategy): We will collect usage data and conduct follow-up interviews to measure time saved and income increased. We will compile a "Pilot Impact Report" detailing our findings. Finally, we will use this data to secure additional partnerships with county officials or larger recycling companies to expand the platform beyond Mathare.
How do you encourage other people to join your project or learn about the problem you’re working on? If you have a new idea, tell us how you will do this in the future.
I believe that true changemaking is collaborative, not solitary. I encourage others to join by actively sharing the human stories behind the data and demonstrating how small technological interventions can yield massive social impact. Engagement so far: Over the past few months, I have directly engaged 17 key stakeholders (15 waste pickers and 2 recycling hub managers). I didn't just present an idea to them; I invited them to co-design the solution. By listening to their daily struggles, they became active participants in the project, resulting in the hub managers agreeing to adopt our backend system. Activating others in the future: To expand our reach, I will leverage my network at the University of the People to recruit student volunteers for data collection and translation. I will also use my platform as a UNESCO Hackathon alum to share our pilot findings at local tech and civic meetups. By publicly sharing our "Pilot Impact Report," I aim to inspire other young developers to build frugal, accessible tech for the informal sector, turning our local Mathare pilot into a nationwide movement.
