When Okwoko Peter a graduate of Aalborg University, Denmark, and Balcom Paige, a Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California Berkeley in the United States of America teamed up to work on a common problem of Gulu City for employment creation in Post War Conflict Northern Uganda, very few people had hope that the dream would turn out to be this enterprising in creating jobs, improving the environment and public health at large.
It is on record that this dream which became Takataka Plastics, is one of the pride of Gulu City and the entire Northern Uganda demonstrating the need to recycle plastic waste and make it useful in other forms like construction tiles, coasters, chairs, table tops among others at a cheaper price.
This dream made Okwoko leave his teaching academic career at Gulu University, Faculty of Science to concentrate on his community-oriented passion and the hope of Dr.Paige to use engineering and entrepreneurship to create jobs and help improve people’s lives in Northern Uganda, a community she has attachment since 2016, has become bigger for Northern Uganda alone as Takataka now shines on the global stage, magnifying resilience and transformational journey of a people through recycling plastic waste.
Takataka Plastics at the National Science Week from November 6th to 11th 2023.
As the Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation, holds its National Science Week at Kololo Independence Ground in Kampala, the Capital City of Uganda where Government-supported innovation dominates the exhibition space, Takataka Plastics is very visible among the few non-public entities show-casing Gulu Transformed waste.
This is a different story for Gulu City, over the years it has won several gold medals on the world stage including at major International Courts like the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, through the Lord’s Resistance Army lenses.
But in the Science Week running under the theme ‘Our Science-led Journey Towards a Socio-Economic Transformation’. Obete Emmanuel, the Community Engagement and Partnership Coordinator of Takataka Plastics is telling the story of solution to waste challenges to build a circular economy and a healing workplace community.
“People are surprised that this is coming from Gulu and I can tell you that many people have shown interest in partnering with us and in our products. We have also met people who do recycling, they are indeed excited to know about us”.
According to Obete, 1.5 square meters of tiles go for Ugx 45,000 and a pack of coasters is at Ugx 8,000, while the folding chair costs Ugx 100,000. He welcomes his clients with a smile. ‘Welcome to Takataka Plastics, here we present you cheap products made out of plastic waste right from the city of Gulu’.
Obete who is promoting and getting Ugandans acquainted with their innovations at Takataka on a National platform presents a fresh story for Northern Uganda’s young people working hard to make ends meet and not the usual then-war rhetoric dependency mindset publicized of the region.
He is an empowered youth from Northern Uganda promoting innovation and seeking the right partnership. Takataka also gives the opportunity to other young people who missed formal education to work for them in collecting plastic waste within Gulu City.
Okwoko Peter, one of the founders of Takataka Plastics told the Elephants that they had already trained over 200 youth. ”We have trained and given employment to over 200 street-connected youth “.
People like Okwoko are shaping a new narrative for Northern Uganda that needs support from all the stakeholders from the region.
The Science Week and the Investors.
Dr Musenero Monica, the Minister of Science Technology and Innovation announced that her Ministry is proud of the 2023 Science Week edition since over 70 investors have flown in the country to see which entity they can put money in to develop it further.
The Minister who was addressing journalists during the opening press conference on 7th November 2023 added that innovators should not fear the investors or look at them as people who have come to steal their ideas but should look at investors as business partners who could send their products with impactful partnership to a global or regional market.
The Minister’s statement is encouraging to young innovators and promoters like Obete from Takataka who are looking for the right partnership and above all see the name of the city once known for war shine for innovation to the investors who have graced the Science Week in Kampala.
When you visit Gulu for the first time, don’t ask about the LRA only, but also demand to know and hear the story of Takataka Plastics and the amazing life it’s touching.
Ends
Audio File. Obete Emmanuel speaking to Onono James about the show-casing at National Science Week-Eng
