Cuthbert Ayodeji Onikute

What Are You Most Passionate About?

Helping others.

Who Is Your Hero? Why?

My grandmother. Growing up I watched her constantly helping others. She reminded me that we all have a duty to help those less able than themselves.

What Is Your Favorite Sound?

Laughter.

What Project Would A Laptop Help You With?

Few cities in West Africa have a proper waste management system in place. Most lack proper sanitary landfills and waste ends up being dumped outside of the city boundaries. This informal system results in abandoned waste throughout cities and causes high rates of malaria and other infectious diseases. My project “Dechets à l’Or” (“From Garbage to Gold”) is out to change this.

How Would A Laptop Help You?

A laptop would help us with data entry to keep track of customer outreach, as well as track our existing customers and their payments.

What do you love about this project?

I love that through innovation in waste collection & processing, we are changing how cities in Sub-Saharan Africa manage and think about their waste. The millions of tons of waste produced in the region, when processed has the potential to produce millions of tons of compost fertilizer and several hundred megawatts of electricity. That is huge for a region that has struggled with a sustainable source of electricity.

What Languages do you speak?

English and French.

Given a choice, would you prefer a Mac or PC?

Either.