Young Scientists Federation co-founder, Dr Gozbert Kamugisha, speaks to journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday. Looking on are; last year’s overall winner Salha Shamim Khamis (left), Karimjee Fund Executive Officer Careen Rawland (third right), Cutoff Recycle co-founder Ojung’u Laizer (second right), and Ramlat Hamad AbdullahIkulu. PHOTO | MICHAEL MATEMANGA
The young innovators, Ojung’s Laizer and David Denis, then students at St Jude Secondary School, first showcased their innovation at the 2018 Young Scientists Tanzania (YST) competition
Dar es Salaam. What began as a school science project by two secondary school students has grown into a thriving green enterprise, transforming human hair waste into organic fertiliser and nutrient-rich soil.
Ojung’s Laizer and David Denis, then students at St Jude Secondary School, first showcased their innovation at the 2018 Young Scientists Tanzania (YST) competition.
Their project, which focused on converting salon hair clippings into fertiliser, earned them second place. Instead of shelving the idea after the contest, they chose to commercialise it.
“YST gave us the platform and motivation. We did not stop after the competition. We decided to commercialise the idea, and today we are running a factory producing liquid fertiliser and enriched soil from human hair,” said Laizer.
The initiative has so far created 15 direct jobs and about 350 indirect ones across Arusha, where salon operators and collectors supply hair waste.
“Instead of being burnt or dumped, hair clippings are collected, sorted and processed using patented technology to produce fertiliser.
In Biology we learnt that hair contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, the same nutrients found in imported fertilisers. That is when we realised we could create a local solution,” he explained.
The company pays Sh300 per kilo of hair, even to individuals who gather clippings from municipal dumpsites. To date, more than four tonnes of hair have been recycled into liquid fertiliser, which farmers say has boosted crop yields while reducing environmental waste.
Although production remains on a small scale, Laizer said the company is working to expand.
“With government support, we are in the process of acquiring new machines to produce fertiliser on a larger scale. Our target is 10,000 litres per day. We want to serve not just Arusha but also other regions and even export to markets such as India and China,” he said.
Farmers using the product report healthier crops, showing how science-based innovation can both address environmental challenges and support agricultural growth.
“Beyond helping farmers, we are also cleaning up the environment. What was once waste from salons and dumpsites is now valuable to agriculture,” Laizer added.
He encouraged students to participate in YST and to think beyond competitions.
“Even if you do not win, your idea can still become a business that transforms Tanzania,” he said, while also calling on government, private sector and sponsors to invest more in student innovations.
“With joint support, student projects can be scaled into industries,” he emphasised. YST co-founder Dr Gozibert Kamugisha said the initiative has changed perceptions about science among young people.
“Initially, many thought science projects were too difficult, but today there are plenty of examples showing that science is practical. Once students move from theory to practice, everything begins to work out well,” Dr Kamugisha said.
