Eneto

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Eneto : Ecological Low Affordable House (ELAH)

Sao Tome , Sao Tome and PrincipeSao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
Year Founded:
2012
Organization type: 
for profit
Project Stage:
Start-Up
Budget: 
$10,000 - $50,000
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/Eneto-125939937528623/
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Project Summary
Elevator Pitch

Concise Summary: Help us pitch this solution! Provide an explanation within 3-4 short sentences.

Ecological Low affordable house (ELAH), is a project designed  to tackling house shortage, reduce use of wood construction which has led to high level of deforestation and dozens of fire accidents every year .

WHAT IF - Inspiration: Write one sentence that describes a way that your project dares to ask, "WHAT IF?"

What if could build a house with less than 5000 USD that is Ecological friendly?
About Project

Problem: What problem is this project trying to address?

House shortage ; Reduce of wood in construction; Improve fire safety of popular house Sao Tome and Principe Cubata; Reduce the construction time and cost;

Solution: What is the proposed solution? Please be specific!

ELAH is developed by Ecological, Modular Construction,is based on ecological bricks, which is manufacture on construction site, the system does not require high-waged skilled masons (except for the base course), it saves cement (less mortar) and construction time, the building costs are lower than for standard masonry construction, reducing in average about 40% of building cost and 70 % of construction time. It is fire safety, reduce use of wood construction that represent about 81% of dwelling in Sao Tome and Principe.

Awards

The project won Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Seed Fund.
Impact: How does it Work

Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.

By chose the solution provide by my company the costumer may have advantage such as very affordable house and good quality, fire resistant, good sound and heat insulation and the house could be built in very short period of time.

Impact: What is the impact of the work to date? Also describe the projected future impact for the coming years.

I have not finish a single house so i have not measurable impact yet, but i have concluded the acquisition of the equipment to start the project, following my business plan. Regard Sao Tome and Principe is country that majority of population live with less than 1 dollar per day, high level of unemployment, poor urbanization, etc.This scenario compel people to recur to wooden construction since it is very cheap. But wooden house, settle in site with poor access in country where almost does not exist fire fighter is a danger situation. Last Week five Cubata (Sao Tome and Principe popular house) were burn to ashes, 18 person lost everything, only left with the clothes they were using, 12 children lost all school material, luckily no one died and the Government helpless keep offering victims wood materials to build Cubata. With ELAH situation like this may another ending.

Spread Strategies: Moving forward, what are the main strategies for scaling impact?

Regarding Projection of Market Share, current business/market size = 500/1,200 = 41% , i may be able to provide 500 ELAH house in 1 years. Lest consider 4 people for a house, in one her i may be able to improve living condition of 2000 people. Wood and sand are the construction materials most used in Sao Tome and Principe, In average at least 15 trees are cut to build a wooden house and about 20 m3 of sand are used to build masonry house ( beach and see sand), this has led to several coastal erosion and high level of deforestations. ELAH does not used sand or wood as construction materials.
Sustainability

Financial Sustainability Plan: What is this solution’s plan to ensure financial sustainability?

My Company Eneto develop Architectural and Construction project, most of investment were made by the fund of the company. There has been having negotiation to include ELAH project in program of mortgage loans of BGFI bank in Sao Tome. It means that when some one ask the bank loan to construction a house, my company to build ELAH house. In another hand it my intention to present the project to the government to develop similiar project.

Marketplace: Who else is addressing the problem outlined here? How does the proposed project differ from these approaches?

My strategy for the competition is to provide very low affordable house using local material, reduces the construction cost about 40% and construction time up 70 %. My current competitors are Top International Engineer (Chinese Company), and Mias Constructions, they practice masonry construction at very low cost but not low enough to be affordable for average Santomean people. Mias Construction in partnership with Brazilian Embassy in Sao Tome and Principe, is also developing a construction technique similar with the one my company is developing.
Team

Founding Story

I was in Washington to attend 2014 Mandela Washington Fellows Summit with President Obama, when I saw on online news paper that a family lost, the house and 3 children in consequence of fire accident related with cubata (popular architecture of Sao tome and Principe), and the government and some institution was giving that family timber and others wooden materials to build a new house. I looked at that man smiling handing over those materials for the poor family, I thought to my self, why it have to be like this, Why make the same mistake twice, Why no one come with some ideia to make a house fire safety, allowing children to grow up. And i realize that i could be that person.

Team

Edwlne Neto The Principal architect, the founder and operations manager. The leader for the operation and has overall responsibility for the financial success of the business, handles external relations with lenders, vendors and client. He also is in charge of either production or marketing for the business. He is the person that will set in motion the vision, strategic plan and goals for the business and Quality control, and environmental manager. Adérito de Barros Espírito Santo Production Manager, Construction supervisor, responsible for the construction site , responsible for the manufacturing of ecological brick and safety plan. Professional staff Such as accountant (CPA), Civil Engineer, lawyer, computer consultant. Are not full-time staff positions in the organization, usually they are call when the company need their service. Professional staff Such as accountant (CPA), Civil Engineer, lawyer, computer consultant. Are not full-time staff positions in the organization, usually they are call when the company need their service.
Background
Please confirm how you heard about the Unilever Awards:

True the "Opportunity for Africans" we site

Please confirm your role in the initiative (eg Founder/co-Founder) and your organisational title:

I am the Founder, Principal architect, and operations manager.

Which of the 8 UN Global Goals (Sustainable Development Goals) pre-selected for this competition does your solution relate most closely to? [select all that apply]

Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate Action.

Leadership and the Unilever Awards
Please provide examples of any previous entrepreneurial initiatives you have pioneered.

I think one of the most entrepreneurial initiative i have ever pioneered is my Company, it has been the dream of mine since i decided to study architecture. The second one Was co-found NGO (Laboratory of Star Up, promotion of Technology and Innovation (SEPTILAB). NGO SEPTILAB has anually project name (Rise up entrepreneur I and II) that empower entrepreneur by teach them English, ICT, Leadership and Entrepreneurship in my community, the project now in second phase Rise up entrepreneur II, and has in partnership with the USA Embassy in Sao Tome and Principe already empower abut 30 youth in Me-Zochi District .

Beyond your existing team, who else are you working with to achieve your objectives, eg partners, advisors, mentors?

The project ELAH house is being monitored by Tony Elumelu Foundation thrught the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program.

File attachments: 
PDF icon neto_edwlne_resume.pdf