Klip Valley Recycling is a waste collection and recycling company run by Nomlindelo “Pinkie” Modisang. Pinkie started this business after seeing the state of the environment that she found herself to be unhealthy for herself and for the children in the community who were playing in close proximity to uncollected waste.
She started Klip Valley Recycling also to supplement her income as a police officer and was soon able to sustain herself and family on her income from the recycling business. Her passion and professionalism ensured that the business remained viable despite facing financial difficulties. Pinkie’s passion for the development of her community resulted in her going as far as to build staff quarters in close proximity to her sorting and collection depot providing accommodation for her employees who were in fact homeless at the time.
Edge Growth came across Pinkie through the ABI’s Recycling Program and immediately identified a constraint to unlocking the growth of Pinkie’s business. This constraint was that the business needed a 1.3t truck as without the truck the business would be unable to do collections. domain mentions . This in turn would lead to job losses. With a new truck the business was set to create 3 new full time jobs and grow revenues by 80% within 12 months.
In November 2013 Pinkie was given the opportunity to pitch her business for funding in front of a panel of judges from the Edge Action Fund a fund designed to provide funding for businesses that would traditionally not qualify for mainstream funding. Despite nerves and her level of formal education, Pinkie‘s pitch was passionate and convinced the judges to not only fund the purchase of a truck but to provide on-going SME Growth Support.
