Mzansi is always thrilled when one of our own illustrates the innovation and skill that originates from of our resilient continent, Africa. That’s why we’re giving a collective applause to Himkaar Singh, a South African entrepreneur who has been named as one of Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30.
For the young trailblazers in The Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30 Class of 2022, being on the most-anticipated list on the continent is all about ensuring they represent their countries and also the diverse, heterogeneous spirit of Africa. This year’s list “features the best and the brightest, but importantly, the most resilient, who have taken the time to not only shine a light on the issues plaguing Africa’s growth in a pandemic era but also work towards shifting the narrative, one tiny, tenacious step at a time.”
Representing South Africa is Himkaar Singh, a local Joburger, who came up with an incredible environmental initiative that has been steadily growing in popularity since its launch in 2018, writes Good Things Guy. In 2021, Himkaar’s The Compost Kitchen also earned him a spot on the United Nations’ “Top 300 Best Practices on Sustainability in the world”, and now in 2022, he has secured a place on the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30.
The reason The Compost Kitchen is being recognized for its innovation, is because the business model “not only answers the call to rid our landfills of organic waste, but it addresses a cause close to Himkaar’s heart, and that is water scarcity in Southern Africa.” The Compost Kitchen collects organic kitchen waste that gets transformed into ‘vemicompost’ – a high-end compost made by earthworms. By putting organic kitchen waste through this natural process, it gets kept out of landfills where it would have otherwise polluted the environment, including valuable water sources.
As explained by Good Things Guy, Organic waste is the most problematic waste stream because it produces methane in the landfill and can pollute groundwater when dumped in the landfill. Himkaar has a big dream to divert all of South Africa’s organic waste from the landfill so that it can be properly composted and thereby become a valuable soil conditioner. The richer and healthier soil is, the better it retains water and thus, the cycle of water changes.
Himkaar has also created a Facebook page that’s dedicated to helping South Africans introduce composting into their lives and to connect people to composting companies and services within areas that are not serviced by The Compost Kitchen.
In an interview with Good Things Guy, Himkaar described what it felt like to be selected as one of the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30.
“I feel proud to have been selected for the 30 Under 30 list, especially during this time in South Africa when people are wondering what the future looks like, because I am showing that there is still a lot of opportunity for innovation, business and impact,” says Himkaar.
Himkaar’s future plans are to reach people from all demographics and educate them about the importance of soil health
“My life has always been about water and in the next 30 years I am working on a new technology that will hopefully aid in solving one of mankind’s gravest problems related to irrigation,” he explained.
Himkaar also believes there is untapped potential for entrepreneurs in the food waste recycling industry, mainly because a business can be started with very little, making him a prime example for other young entrepreneurs in Africa. He is showing that doing good is not just associated with non-profits, but that impact can also be made while making a profit too.
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Picture: The Compost Kitchen / Facebook