Our Story
We have a big vision...
Organic waste is the most problematic waste stream because it produces methane in the landfill, and can pollute groundwater when dumped in the landfill. We have a big dream to divert all South Africa's organic waste from the landfill so that it can be properly composted, and thereby become a valuable soil conditioner. During this journey, we aim to demonstrate a more fuel efficient way of collecting waste, while educating that waste has value, so that other entrepreneurs can be inspired.
We will collect your organic kitchen waste, and return it to you once our hungry earthworms have transformed it into ‘vermicompost’. Vermicompost is premium compost made by earthworms - which is the way nature intended – and will provide biology in addition to nutrients.
This is a new model of recycling - where you get something back.
Every month you will get back 2kg of of high quality vermicompost,
which you can use in your vegetable garden or pot plants to grow food again. The vermicompost has all the nutrients a plant could possibly need, so all you need to do is add water and seeds and it will give you homegrown food. Imagine when we scale and 1000s of homes are receiving the basic ingredient for growing organic food, how the food system will change! This is our way of tackling food security in South Africa, while solving the waste problem.
Based on global experience...
My journey into composting of organic waste was borne out of my experience with working with farmers while doing water research...During my international Msc in Integrated Water Resource Management in Germany, Vietnam and Jordan, I realised that the soil is the most important component in the water cycle.
However, that soil is being lost in urban areas without us realizing how it is affecting our water quality and quantity. Additionally, while volunteering for Green & Book Ambassadors to clean-up trash around Vietnam, I realised that waste is a serious problem.
But with my civil engineering qualification and experience, I know that waste is just resource that hasn’t reached its full potential yet. So my mission is to return soil to urban areas while reducing waste. How lucky are we that earthworms can solve both of these issues!
Himkaar Singh
Gamuchirai Mutezo
Gamuchirai Mutezo is a PhD student at the University of the Witwatersrand and École Normale Supérieure (ENS-Paris), specialising in Urban Biogas
Circular Economies. She has more than 7 years’ work experience spanning across the following sub-sectors: urban planning, renewable energy
(organic waste-to-energy) and entrepreneurship, all of which underpin her research interests. Some experience is a culmination of formal education
while the other is on-the-job training and exposure, learning from good and bad experiences, from partners and clients, as well as observations and
conversations. Additional experience spans from being Chief Operations Officer of a Startup Campus based in Johannesburg (GEN Africa 22 ON
SLOANE), SAPI Gauteng Interim Chairperson, as well as Chief Executive Officer of Madam Waste (Urban and Energy Planners with a keen focus on
integrating clean energy in African cities).
In the media
Composting is good for business, customers and the planet
Meet Himkaar Singh and the Compost Kitchen, the impact business changing the organic recycling waste game, for the planet and for their customers. The Branson Centre for Entrepreneurship is proud to support this innovative startup and the entrepreneur behind it, working together to make profit and make a difference.
The Easy Peasy guide to growing your own greens
During lockdown Singh’s compost business is on hold. “Graciously our customers have offered to continue paying during lockdown even though we won’t be able to collect their food waste. In return for this, we have given them seedlings and vermicompost so that they can grow their own food during lockdown,” he says.
Grow Back Better
Those of us who have tried to grow organic, have been tried with pests, weeds and disease. But why is it so hard? It is because we are trying to garden with habits which are not meant for us in SA, which originated about 100 years ago when gardening books from England were circulating the world.
(link is to article published on our blog because the source link continually changes).
In partnership with
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |