In Mali, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) wants to encourage the creation and development of innovative solutions in the green economy. Through its business incubator DoniLab, the UN programme plans to support three start-ups in this West African country. The start-ups specialising in the green economy are winners of the 2020 “Green Economy Anwkathon”.
They are Mamali Moringa, SyOil and FLS Sarl. The nugget Mamali Moringa won first prize in the competition for its project to transform Moringa leaves into nutritional and therapeutic products. The start-up will benefit from six months of support, worth US$10,000. The young companies SyOil and FLS Sarl will benefit from the same advantages. The Malian start-up SyOil, second in the ranking, seduced the jury with its project for the recovery, purification, reconditioning and sale of industrial engine oils. FLS Sarl has developed a slow sand filtration system to make water drinkable in Mali.
At least 12 green projects were presented at the “Anwkathon économie verte” 2020. “The nine non-prize-winning teams will benefit from a three-month support programme at DoniLab, worth 5000 dollars per team”, promises Tidiane Ball, the director of DoniLab. “The awnkathons initiative could be renewed during the year 2021”, says Jo Scheuer, the resident representative of UNDP Mali.
Inès Magoum