He adds that the biodiesel business was still new so it wasn’t easy to regulate which prompted Bakr and his co-founders at the time to provide a supply chain to help attain their demands. “This was the start and though we were 14 at the time, it was only me and my co-founder, Eman Desouky, who started Value Bekia,” Bakr notes.

When asked about Value Bekia, he says that it offers a number of services, namely, collecting solid waste from residential areas in exchange for house goods or common supplies like sugar and tea. “Another new service is gathering home appliances for recycling,” Bakr explains.

Not only that but swapping unused books instead of buying new ones is one more service to add to Value Bekia. “We reach people through social media or the website to check what they can trade for which goods,” Bakr says.

Bakr further adds that his initiative actively reaches out to residents in Menoufia and Qalyubia governorates to educate them on their business and the process behind it. “We hold events and participate in open days to spread our vision,” he shares. Value Bekia is mainly targeting housewives to reach a bigger audience.

Outside funding began when Value Bekia was incubated with Falak Startups under the Ministry of Investment and International Cooperation. “Our revenues come from selling the solid waste we collect to recycling plants,” Bakr says. “Other sources include selling old home appliances or the metals extracted from them, or fixing these appliances and re-selling them. We also have book subscriptions for people who would rather borrow than swap books.”

Learn more about Value Bekia through its website and Facebook.