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Leroy Dzenga Features Writer

“My idea was inspired by anger.”

Tired of disposing of carcases of his family’s cattle which die after consuming coal waste, and watching peers getting injured by the residue, Allan Twalumba Sibanda of Hwange decided “enough was enough”.

His initial idea was to take coal-producing companies in his hometown head-on.

Confronting large conglomerates proved difficult and Sibanda sought alternatives.

The former Premier Soccer League footballer’s idea is good enough to enthral those who coined the cliché “turning lemons into lemonade” proud.

After quitting top flight football, having played for Tsholotsho FC and ZPC Hwange, Allan had ventured into brick-moulding, but was struggling to carve a niche as his product was as common as they come.

A random conversation lit up his light bulb after a stranger asked him what would happen if he mixed his clay and coal dust.

“I used to produce farm bricks until the idea was thrown around as a random suggestion, but I took it up, tried with a few bricks and it worked,” says Allan.

“I tested the bricks and they worked, so we changed our model towards coal.”

One of the houses built using Sibanda’s innovative bricks

The project, which started in February 2019, has been gathering momentum.

“I mix coal waste and clay to produce bricks,” says Allan. “I burn the bricks using coal. It is a strong brick because coal waste is similar to cement and what makes it strong is burning with coal which emits more heat than wood.”

With no sophisticated machinery, most of the work is manual, with a modest output.

From the description of the process, Allan substitutes the quarry or cement component in bricks, opting to use coal waste instead.

He says up to 10 houses have been built to completion with his bricks and he is aiming for more.

“I have a number of houses, which have been completed using the bricks,” says Allan.

“I work with four guys, daily we produce about 1 000 bricks. We use very small manual brick moulders, we could be producing more if we had better machinery, but I believe we will get there one day.”

Selling at less than a tenth of what conventional bricks are retailing, Allan says once the market latches on to the concept he has implemented, even large corporates will rework their formulas.

“I am selling my bricks at $800 per 1 000 bricks, yet others are selling in US dollars at around US$150 per 1 000,” he says.

“This in turn reduces the cost of building a house significantly.”

A national start-up competition held last year gave Allan confidence to set his sights on the national market.

“Last year I was a runner up in the national entrepreneurship competition held by CBZ Bank,” he says.

“This was confirmation that I am on the right path.”

Allan’s script is far from being locked.

Recently, he won US$5 000 for the best project in waste management and recycling at a Green Enterprise Innovation and Development competition in Bulawayo.

Raised in a humble setting, Allan did not receive any tertiary education, he was “taught by the streets”.

“I grew up in Hwange, did my education at Mazwi Primary School and attended Amhlophe High School,” he says.

“I did not manage to write my O-levels because of some challenges, but I told myself that I will become the best version of myself.”

Allan’s vision seems to be taking shape as he is receiving attention even at the highest level.

When the first citizen of the country, President Mnangagwa, passed through his exhibition stand at the just-ended African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development in Victoria Falls, he took interest in the idea.

“When the President came to our stand, he said he likes what I am doing and encouraged me to continue on my path,” Allan said.

“It was such a great feeling, getting to pitch my idea to the highest office in the land.”

With the world going green, Allan’s idea could be a game changer.

Conventional bricks have been criticised for their contribution to environmental degradation.

But Allan’s bricks can augur well with Government`s plan to provide cheap housing built in an environmentally sustainable way.

In a recent interview with The Herald, National Housing and Social Amenities Minister Daniel Garwe said they will be looking into sustainable ideas in providing national housing.

Maybe, Allan`s anger and the resulting product could be part of the solution in clearing Zimbabwe`s long standing housing backlog.

Zimbabwe is among the continent’s top producers of coal and its deposits guarantee enough raw materials for Allan’s products.

His story is an outstanding testament of turning adversity into opportunity.

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