MOPA – Using data to improve waste management in Mozambique
UX Information Technologies
“During the rainy season, streets flood and gutters quickly fill with debris and garbage, blocking the drainage of rainwater. The stagnant water can lead to malaria and cholera outbreaks.” — MOPA team
70%
of the population lives in informal settlements
56%
is the estimated mobile penetration in Mozambique
May 2016 End date
March 2017
Issue
Solid waste management (SWM) has a large impact on the health and safety of communities and it is one of the most important services that the municipality of Maputo must provide, however the lack of funding, capacity, and transparency within the municipality has resulted in insufficient waste removal.
Private companies have been contracted to collect waste, but they have been significantly neglecting peri-urban communities, which are difficult to access due to poor infrastructure or their distance from the city centre. These companies have difficulty locating waste for removal and organizing collection points. Main collection points are often neglected in these areas and the trucks rarely pass by.
Micro-entrepreneurs are responsible for the majority of the waste removal in peri-urban areas. They operate garbage collection companies and travel by foot through high-density, low-income areas using trolleys to pick up trash from households and communal bins. They are able to navigate the underdeveloped and narrow pathways of these communities. However, they are inefficient at coordinating their routes and locating all of the waste that needs removal.
Project
MOPA is a web-based platform that engages with citizens through mobile phones, Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) and a mobile application, to report waste, which is then pinpointed on an interactive map.
The project aims to inform citizens about the need for proper waste removal and to empower them to request services from the government through the use of the mobile app.
The municipality is responsible for monitoring the platform and managing the waste removal service. Using the Municipal Council Dashboard, the municipality compiles data and monitors the progress of the waste removal by communicating the best routes to pick up waste to both the contracted private companies and the micro-entrepreneurs. This information is also made publicly available to ensure accountability for all responsible parties and, simultaneously shared with the municipal council and relevant entities so they can monitor and resolve issues in real-time.
Partner
UX Information Technologies is a Mozambican company founded in 2011 and focus on developing online solutions that play a transforming role for companies, institutions and for the society. UX operates with a commercial line, creating products for companies, and bets on social entrepreneurship as a catalyst for economic and human development, combining, in this way, commercial success with social responsibility.