From Tragedy to Triumph: How Jolis Nduwimana is Revolutionizing Sustainability in Burundi

By Adonis Byemelwa

In 2017, a shotgun blast shattered Jolis Nduwimana’s world, taking his father and thrusting him into the role of breadwinner for his family. Fresh out of high school and the eldest of a farming household, Nduwimana had no time to grieve.

He moved to Bujumbura, Burundi’s bustling capital, where he worked as a manual laborer, hauling goods on his back. But amid this hardship, a spark ignited. Witnessing the devastating impact of plastic pollution on his community and livestock, he vowed to create change. From tragedy, a revolutionary idea was born; an idea that would transform waste into opportunity and turn adversity into innovation.

For two years, he worked as a “karani,” a manual laborer hauling heavy goods through the city’s bustling streets. But even as he worked to provide for his family, a growing environmental crisis caught his attention.

Plastic waste littered Bujumbura’s streets and farmland and even claimed the lives of local livestock. “Our cows died after ingesting plastic waste,” Nduwimana recalls. This profound experience became the spark that would ignite his entrepreneurial journey and push him to find a solution to the rampant pollution devastating the local environment.

In 2021, Nduwimana founded WEGE Company, an innovative enterprise that turns agricultural and paper waste into eco-friendly packaging. The company focuses on transforming banana waste, rice straw, and discarded paper into biodegradable products. What began as a response to a local environmental crisis has since grown into a powerful model of sustainability, inspiring change not just in Burundi, but across the region.

At the heart of WEGE’s operations is a meticulously developed process. Materials are collected from local farmers and waste management companies, then sorted, cleaned, and transformed into pulp. Using specialized equipment, this pulp is molded into packaging that is both durable and eco-friendly, adhering to strict quality control standards. The result is a circular economy model that turns waste into value, proving that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.

To achieve his goals, developing the technology to convert agricultural waste into high-quality packaging has been a priority that has required persistence, innovation, and collaboration with experts in the field. Despite challenges along the way, Nduwimana has remained focused on his mission to create a sustainable solution that would benefit both the environment and the local economy.

Central to WEGE’s philosophy is the belief that a circular economy can play a transformative role in reducing pollution and mitigating climate change. By repurposing agricultural waste that would otherwise be discarded, WEGE not only helps to reduce the burden on landfills but also cuts down on methane and carbon emissions.

Additionally, the company works closely with local farmers, encouraging sustainable agricultural practices that promote biodiversity and support soil health. In a country like Burundi, where agriculture is the backbone of the economy, this approach holds immense potential.

Nduwimana is passionate about the role young entrepreneurs can play in addressing Africa’s social and environmental challenges. “We are often more adaptable and open to new ideas,” he says, “which allows us to tackle pressing challenges like waste management, pollution, and climate change.” He believes that by leveraging local resources and traditional knowledge, Africa’s youth can develop innovative solutions tailored to their communities’ needs. In his view, the continent’s future is bright, driven by young entrepreneurs committed to sustainable development.

However, Nduwimana’s path to success was far from easy. Starting with no capital, he knocked on countless doors seeking funding. Pitch competitions and impact investors eventually provided the support he needed to launch WEGE.

One such opportunity came through Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) initiative this year, where Nduwimana made it to the Top 50 finalists out of nearly 20,000 applicants from all 54 African countries. The annual program, which allows entrepreneurs to compete for a share of a $1.5 million prize pool, also provides valuable mentorship and access to a network of investors and business leaders for finalists like Nduwimana.

The ABH experience taught him the importance of collaboration, continuous innovation, and improvement, driving him to invest more in research and development. Additionally, the validation of advancing so far in the competition reaffirmed his confidence in a business model that benefits his entire community, making him more committed than ever to leverage relevant partnerships, particularly with local farmers, to promote environmental awareness and reshape the future of sustainability in Africa.

Jolis Nduwimana’s journey from personal tragedy to entrepreneurial triumph is a testament to the power of resilience, innovation, and social impact. As the founder and CEO of WEGE Company, he is proving that young African entrepreneurs have the power to transform their communities and the environment, one eco-friendly package at a time.