Overview
Impact
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jobs created
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young adults earning income
In South Africa, demand for recyclable materials is rising as landfills near capacity and new national rules require more waste to be recycled. That shift is creating room for small businesses to grow in communities across the country.
RLabs saw this opportunity and acted. Drawing on their track record helping young people start and grow small businesses, RLabs created the Recycling Champions (ReCha) program to equip young entrepreneurs with what they need to launch recycling operations.
For a country where 43% of young adults are not in employment, education, or training, making this kind of entrepreneurship more accessible can help more people earn the income they need to move themselves, their families and their communities forward.
Through ReCha, RLabs trains young adults to run small recycling businesses. Each entrepreneur buys recyclables at fixed prices from people in their community who collect them, then sorts and resells them in bulk to larger recycling companies.
From day one, each business is set up to succeed. Entrepreneurs receive funding, digital scales, bulk bags, safety gear, and a mobile system that records every transaction, along with coordinated pickup from local collectors and delivery to a confirmed buyer. RLabs provides hands-on training, ongoing mentorship, and access to guaranteed buyers. With pricing, tools, and buyers in place, business owners can focus on running and growing their companies.
What began as a pilot in 2024 has already created 365 jobs and enabled 1,900 local recycling collectors to earn predictable income from the materials they were already collecting. Together, these community-based recycling businesses have diverted over 4 million pounds of waste from landfills.
Clear pricing and guaranteed buyers turn recyclables into dependable earnings for both entrepreneurs and the people who supply them. With new national regulations requiring manufacturers to help fund recycling systems, the model is positioned for long-term growth across the Western Cape and beyond.
Keenan launched Lala’s Recycling through the ReCha program after years of working odd jobs. When a devastating fire destroyed his home, he saw the program as a chance to rebuild his life.
Today, Keenan runs a growing business in Cape Town, where he has already diverted more than 50,000 pounds of recyclable materials from landfills while creating jobs in his community.
“I’ve always believed in the power of second chances, both for people and for materials others consider waste.”
