What if a broken laptop, television or other electronic appliance wasn’t waste, but an opportunity to repair, reuse and recycle? 

For participants in WasteAid’s Waste 2 Wealth, Cosmo City E-Wastepreneur programme in Uganda, practical training is helping turn that idea into a potential livelihood. 

Over recent months, participants have moved from classroom learning into hands-on training in e-waste repair, diagnostics and enterprise development. They have learned how to safely use professional tools, identify faults and assess whether discarded electrical items can be repaired, refurbished or recovered. 

For participants, the impact goes beyond learning how to fix appliances. They are developing the technical skills, confidence and problem-solving abilities needed to create sustainable livelihoods within the circular economy. Moreover, it also benefits the communities and environment as it reduces disposal of electronic appliances and enables further use of them.

“Before this training I thought a broken kettle was simply useless, but now I know how to test it and find where the real problem is.” – Boitumelo Khoetha, E-Wastepreneur Participant 

Understanding the e-waste sector beyond repairing

In July, 10 participants visited Reclite SA, gaining first-hand experience of how a formal e-waste business operates. 

The study tour gave participants a broader understanding of the e-waste value chain, from collection and repair through to recycling and material recovery, as well as the importance of health and safety and effective business management. 

Crucially, they were also able to identify potential markets and buyers for recovered materials, helping them see how their own enterprises could connect to the wider circular economy. 

“Seeing the systematic processes, safety measures, and how every material has value has completely changed my perspective. I now understand how I can improve my own business.” – Tumo Shivambo, E-Wastepreneur Participant 

From training to enterprise 

At the end of July, participants completed their practical assessments, marking an important milestone in their training. 

But this is not the end of the programme. 

Each participant will now receive four individual mentorship sessions, combining technical and business support to help turn their newly developed skills into viable enterprise ideas. 

The programme will culminate in a Business Pitching Event in September, where participants will present their ideas and showcase how they plan to turn e-waste into opportunity. Participants will also get the opportunity to access resources, tools and equipment to enable their business growth and application of learned principles.

Through Waste 2 Wealth, WasteAid is helping people move from seeing e-waste as a problem to recognising its potential, while building the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to create livelihoods while keeping valuable materials in use. 

From discarded electronics to sustainable enterprise, the next chapter is just beginning.