Story complied by Eric Kibalama and Ntabazi Raymond James
With over two decades of experience, Nabugabo Updeal Joint Venture (NUJV) has grown to become the one of the oldest and most efficient private refuse collection and disposal company in Uganda, earning a reputation for its commitment to cleanliness, environmental health, and sustainable practices.
Having started in 1998, collecting all kinds of waste, the think tanks at Nabugabo Updeal Joint Venture saw it wise to acquire their own facility to add value to organic waste, which boosted 80% of the waste collected. They acquired more than 10 hectares of land in Jimbo Wakiso and set up a facility. The facility has been in operation since 2018.
On a daily basis, Nabugabo Updeal Joint Venture (NUJV) collects over 5 tones of organic waste, mainly from markets (Kasubi, Natete, and Busega), hotels & restaurants, and a few coming from home states around Rugaba a Kampala suburb.
Upon reaching the facility, the waste is dumped into a big, well-cemented rectangular tank that also aids in the in the harvesting of lechte generated from the organic waste.
Later, the waste is sorted to remove the remaining pieces of plastic, paper, and metal.
According to the facility manager Obbo Benard, “Flies lay their eggs in cages, which are either metallic or wooden with a net covering. To facilitate egg collection, the eggs are deposited in a specific area within the cage near an attractant that draws female Black Soldier Flies (BSF). These eggs are collected every 2-3 days and placed in hatching containers with high-quality food.”
He added, “Once hatched, the larvae are nurtured in a controlled environment with proper food, moisture, and temperature. When they reach the desired size and maturity, they are harvested when they are beige, using sieving or automated devices.”
The harvested larvae are then cleaned, dried, and ground to create various products like feeds, oil, and fertilisers, ensuring they meet quality and safety standards before use as animal feed.
At the end of the of the process, animal feed proteins are obtained, organic fertilizers, and Black Soldier Fly (BSF).
After adding value to the organic waste, NUJV outputs about 20 tones every month sells back to the community at low and affordable prices, with Frass/ Organic fertilizers- UGX 1000 , Bsf larvae – UGX1200 and Bsflarvae dry – UGX3500.
According to Wasswa Akram, an administrator at NUJV, they give back 5 kilograms of charcoal briquettes to the people who give them sorted waste; these briquettes are made from organic waste. Many people have benefitted and heaped praise on this in various communities around Kampala.
He added “In the near future, we are looking forward to acquiring automated BFS machinery and employing more people.”
NUJV’s impact extends beyond organic waste management, as the company actively engages with local communities to promote proper waste management practices and environmental protection. Collaborating with community leaders and local authorities.
You can reach out to their handles
https://www.linkedin.com/company/nabugabo-updeal-joint-venture/
https://nabugaboupdeal.co.ug/
