E-cover or the art of reinventing of seconds lifes
E-Cover is a recycling company that converts used tyres into flooring. Its tiles are " flexible, non-slip, water and fire resistant, customisable, therapeutic, waterproof and removable". They can be used for build aplaygrounds, of house fronts, of tiles for gardens, of sports grounds...
Recognised by the European Union for its action in favour of the environmentE-Cover has just raised over 200 million CFA francs in funding.
An unusual beginning, to say the least
If you hear the word "meat grinder", you'll probably think of a good meatloaf or a tasty pasta with bolognese sauce. And yet, it is outside the kitchen that this utensil has shown its usefulness for Yaye Souadou Fall, then 20 years old. Surprising as it may be appearThe company uses it to shred the tyres that litter the streets of the Senegalese capital in order to offer them more beneficial functions to the population. In his small workshop, and army of his makeshift equipment, Souadou chops, tinkers and tries to tame the tyre, without any skill, but determined to recycle it. À What end? She spends hours, then months on Google to better refine its offer. She did some tests, finally managed to master her raw material, and then made her first handmade tiles.
Its solution, E-Cover, which is mainly to be produced froms tiles, starts to come to life. But awith its artisanal production method and rudimentary, the young entrepreneur barely manages to produce 3 tiles per month. Let's face it. It takes more than a chopper to make hergreen entrepreneurship. Now it is time to take the next step: the search for funding.
Financing your business when you are starting out
30,000 FCFA (less than €50) was the starting capital available to Yaye Souadou. In order to find the necessary funds to increase its production capacity, it turns to crowdfunding. But if This concept seems to work well in other places, in Africa there was more reluctance. Souadou arrives at mobilise a community committed to his causeUnfortunately, financial support is not forthcoming. However, she still gains in visibility on its work.
She participates in competitions including the famous Anzisha Prize in 2016, for which she won the second prize, called "First Runner Up Environmental 2016" and the sum of 15,000 dollars, among 550 entrepreneurs from 32 countries on the continent.
From a simple chopper to a production unit
The funding of Anzisha marked the beginning of a new adventure, more than just aus big, with more impact. So, from a single chopper, the promoter is expanding to 20 machines, and then to a mini production unit, to ensure the processing of more tyres. With recycled tyres, she creates sandal soles and more tiles. Its products are well received, and demand follows. And with it, the goodcare in raw materials and workforce.
To meet this need, it calls on young people in and around the Bambilor neighbourhood where the production unit is located. The place was not chosen at random. It was the crossroads of all sorts of tyre lots thrown here and there and of many young people without jobs.
Recognition and funding
Ecology is at the very heart of Yaye Fall's approach. As a good citizen, her first thought was to clean up her city of Dakar. Under these conditions, seeing its business recognised by the European Union for its action in favour of the environment at the COP 22, sounds like a consecration.
The year 2020 also marks a real turning point for the start-up with funding from WIC Capital (216 million FCFA). This finally allows it to upgrade its production unit to a semi-industrial level, and thus meet the demand of go tos customers, in a more serene manner.
With E-COVER, the reference player in the recycling of used tyres in Senegal, nothing is lost, everything is transformed. The start-up continues to transform The aim of the project is to turn waste tyres into tiles, shoe soles and coverings in order to help solve the problems of waste management in Senegal and perhaps later in the sub-region. Fanaka & Co will follow its development closely.
