Yaye Souadou is a 21 year-old Senegalese proficient in 5 different languages. She adores doing gymnastics and researching a wide range of topics. In her explorations, she gained interest in environmentally friendly technology. Growing up, she could not help but notice how her community was littered with tires and other plastics –and she sure wanted change. So she coupled her knowledge on recycling with the desire to cause a change and founded E-cover.
E-cover is a startup which aims to revalorize waste through the recycling and repurposing of tires into more useful products. Shoe soles, tiles for playgrounds, courtyards, and terraces, and floor coverings for swimming pools etc, are made from the upcycled tires. In her city were these tires lay waste, littering the environment, Souadou is seen as a visioneer– changing the waste-disposal culture. There is a paradigm shift from commonly recycling tires for their metal content to the wholesome use of these old tires.
As the C.E.O, Soudaou presently employs 6 people. She is responsible for the marketing and the management of her business. Her impact goes beyond the employment opportunities she offers. Many businesses, sport centers, and individuals in several municipalities are benefitting from the eco-friendly products her venture offers. Her products are used in the development of urban roads, have reduced the carbon footprint of the communities, increased import substitution, and offers companies opportunities to fulfil their Corporate Social Responsibilities.
In the next five years, she hopes to diversify into other forms of plastic waste which can be repurposed into alternative uses like in 3-D printing and clothing.
