How Lorna Rutto is Defining the Recycling Industry in Kenya
Lorna Rutto is a young African businesswoman, a world economic forum global leader and the CEO of EcoPost, a for-profit Social Enterprise that has created thousand of sustainable jobs for people in the marginalized communities while conserving the environment.
Lorna is an Inspirational, multi-passionate social entrepreneur with a vision to have a Green Africa from poverty. She possesses all the needed entrepreneurial skills she gained during her career in the waste recycling business.
In 2010, Lorna quit her job in the bank to start a waste recycling business. She built EcoPost with the basic aim of collecting and recycling waste plastic into aesthetic, durable and environmentally friendly fencing posts.
This idea is aimed at conservation of forests by replacing timber for alternative materials. Lorna Rutto managed to get financial support from international and local investors and non-governmental organizations.
Lorna Rutto has contributed immensely towards the saving forests in Kenya. Due to her efforts, hundreds of jobs were created in Kenya, and 100,000 new positions are expected to be created in the following 15 years.
In 2010, Lorna applied for and won a $6,000 SEED Award and used it to start her business. Also, she won a grant award of $12,700 from the Enablis Energy Globe-Safaricom Foundation.
Another business plan competition she took part was organized by the Cartier Women’s Initiative. In this competition, she received a prize award of about $12,000.
Attracting investments is a great way to grow a business. Some of the biggest investments Lorna Rutto’s business attracted were an equity investment from the Blue Haven Initiative and the Opus Foundation amounting to $500,000.
This money was used to purchase the necessary advanced recycling equipment.
Many organizations in African countries are willing to support businesses that work towards developing the continent and Lorna’s success story is an assurance that a business can start as a small venture and move to a large manufacturing facility equipped with advanced recycling equipment.
