By Yero S. Bah
Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Gambia are gathering momentum in recent years, especially among women and young girls as mentalities of the younger generation continue to shift from dependency to self-reliance.
Ms. Fatou Nyang is a young entrepreneur who recycles used materials into beautiful reusable objects, and using the skills she learned by watching videos on the internet, as another source of decent earning, apart from her formal salary, Mansa Banko Online gathered in a recent exclusive interview with her via WhatsApp.
The goal of her venture, she divulged, is to redefine or change the mindset of the people on how waste materials should be handled in society through creative artwork and designs. The female entrepreneur noted that looking at the amount of waste generated in the country, it is necessary to come up with means of handling it since the Gambia is not yet industrially strong to properly manage waste.
Ms. Nyang’s words, “I started to have interest in crafting in December 2018 during my annual leave.” She added that her crafting journey begun after watching one YouTube video online; since then, things started to grow and she started off by recycling old CDs into flower pots and centerpieces. From there, she uploads them on her WhatsApp status and people usually ask for prices to place orders of the new objects and ornaments, she explained. “Then I recycled old newspapers into baskets, desks and spoon organizers and people got more amazed,” the innovative young lady enthused.
Nyang disclosed she virtually turns “every old material” into some decorative objects that attract huge interest from people, cataloguing that she recycles cardboards into wall decorations with mirrors on them; car tyres into centerpieces; forks into wall hangings; paper shreds into flower briquettes; and old towels into vases as well as cable spools and numerous other beautifully crafted objects that could be used in houses to simply beautify the homes.
“I have been funding myself from 2018 to date, and I would pick up trash everywhere,” she informed this medium.
A graduate of the University of the Gambia (UTG) who works as Customer Care Manager at the GSM operator QCELL, Ms. Nyang said she uses social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to market her unique products recycled from thrown away materials.
However, she laments over the lack of a workshop and showroom for her business, saying she only makes the products based on order due to the unavailability of a store or workshop.
Hear her, “I am currently using my mom’s living room as display area and one of my father’s rooms as a workshop.” Interestingly, Nyang never went for any apprenticeship as she learned everything from the internet. She recalled that she would spend almost the entire night watching videos, but now she doesn’t watch the YouTube videos since the “inspirations naturally pours on her” in the trade.
The young innovator echoed that for any nation to development, there is the need to manage its waste and she believes there’s no better way to manage it than recycling.
The BA degree holder divulged that her biggest challenge is finance which even deters her from conducting training for other young Gambians who are interested in her skills.
“I am in dire need of a workshop and showroom but because there is no funding, I have no choice but to use my parents space to do my work,” Nyang decried, while urging government to double up for youth and startups even though it might be doing something. She posits that wealthy businessmen and women could also assist in funding to create linkages that would help small businesses sell more within and outside the country; “there is still more room for improvement”.
With regards to poor electricity supply, the young female entrepreneur charged that government needs to step in to better the situation as well as in the area of waste segregation to help Gambians buy ‘Made in the Gambia products’. Nyang further opined that government could easily close the importation of certain products that are locally produced by many Gambians in order to allow local producers sell more and earn enough profit to produce enough products for the population.
She concluded with some words of encouragement for Gambians, to wit: “Believe in yourselves and don’t wait for anyone to start your little something.”
