Naomi Abe-Ezekiel, a passionate Nigerian student, recently received a major boost for her sustainable business venture. The Street Project Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports women entrepreneurs, awarded her a generous grant of N250,000 to grow her innovative waste recycling company, EcoKollect.
Naomi started EcoKollect after realizing the urgent need to tackle Nigeria’s worsening waste management problem. According to her, Nigeria generates an incredible 14,000 metric tons of waste every single day.
Why EcoKollect?
Determined to find a solution, Naomi founded EcoKollect to promote responsible waste disposal, recycling, and providing economic opportunities for waste collectors and recyclers. Her vision is to create a sustainable future where waste is seen as a valuable resource, not just something to be discarded.
“EcoKollect aims to build a circular economy, where we bridge the gap between waste generators and eco-innovators, fostering a greener planet,” Naomi explained in an interview with Ikejabird.
Driven by a vision of creating a sustainable future where waste becomes a valuable resource, Naomi founded EcoKollect with the mission of facilitating responsible waste disposal, promoting upcycling, and providing economic opportunities for waste generators, recyclers, and upcycles alike.
It was a turning point in my life
Naomi’s path to securing the grant from the Street Project Foundation was not without its challenges. She learned about the pitch competition event merely a day before, leaving her scrambling to prepare while juggling her academic responsibilities.
“I heard about the pitch competition events a day before, and I felt like I could actually win, so I told my mom, and she took me there. I looked at it as a turning point for my life,” Naomi recounted to IkejaBird.
I cried after winning the grant
When her name was announced as a grant recipient, Naomi’s joy was overwhelming. “I actually cried because I felt like this was something I put all my effort into and I was doing it without the assistance of my parents,” she said.
The grant’s impact on EcoKollect has been huge. Naomi plans to allocate the funds toward the development of a website and mobile app.
“As I said at the event, the money would be used for our website and app development, which is currently going on, and we are almost through with the first stage of front and back-end,” Naomi explained.
The Grant was an inspiration to me
Beyond the financial support, the grant has instilled confidence and determination in Naomi’s entrepreneurial journey. “It inspired me a lot to do greater things and be confident in myself. It made me more confident to speak about what I do and about my venture, EcoKollect,” she told IkejaBird.
Naomi’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women, is simple yet powerful: “I have applied for so many pitch competitions. I would tell them not to give up; they should keep on pushing until they see results. You can’t give up just yet. You need to keep on climbing the ladder.”
