Bidibidi's Electronic Waste Cooperative Eyes Commercial Expansion

“We have a saying in South Sudan: it’s better for someone to give you an idea than money. BEMCoS is that idea—and it’s changing our lives,” reveals John Elly Yuma.

A South Sudanese refugee, Yuma is reflecting on his four-year journey with IOM’s electronic waste project. 

Having finished secondary school in 2022, Yuma was unable to afford university. His turning point came when he joined IOM’s electronic waste (e-waste) initiative as a volunteer, gaining hands-on experience in electronics repair and community service.

"I got this job at a time when I least expected it," he recalls. "I had a certificate, yet finding work wasn’t easy."

What started as a youth-led e-waste community collection and repair system in 2022 is now poised for commercial expansion, as the Bidibidi Electronic Waste Management Cooperative Society (BEMCoS).

Launched by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with support from Innovation Norway, the e-waste project addresses e-waste challenges in displacement settings, where communities rely heavily on solar-powered devices. Yuma and 18 other youth were trained to collect, repair, and refurbish electronics—providing sustainable solutions while earning an income.

Initially focused on basic repairs, the initiative evolved with support from private sector partners including BRIGHT Products, Open Energy Labs, AceleAfrica, and Mercy Corps, offering technical training and community sensitization.

Under the initiative, a self-sufficient mobile laboratory for testing and repurposing end-of-life lithium-ion battery cells through circular economy practices was established, laying the groundwork for a more sophisticated operation.

The group became a registered cooperative BEMCoS in December 2024 with support from the Uganda Cooperative Alliance (UCA). As the umbrella organization for all cooperatives, UCA processed all necessary documentation, conducted capacity building, and guided members through drafting their constitution and financial procedures. With three repair hubs and mobile tricycles, the 30-member team now offers paid repair services across Bidibidi’s five zones, serving both refugee and host communities.

“We repair so many faulty electronics, which generates money for us to help feed and pay for school for our families—but also to keep the enterprise running,” observes Idi Mubarak, the cooperative chairperson.

Now, BEMCoS is preparing to scale beyond local repairs. A recent IOM-commissioned study—Technical Analysis of Value Creation Business Models for IOM’s E-waste Circular Economy Transition-to-Scale Project—found that Bidibidi and the host community generate nearly 22 tons of e-waste annually. Conducted by Open Energy Labs in consortium with the WEEE Centre and Strathmore University, the study outlines a path to commercial viability.

It recommends expanding repair services to include phones and laptops, recovering and reselling high-value components like printed circuit boards (PCBs), and assembling second-life battery products. Refurbished ICT equipment could also be sold through local or NGO-supported channels.

The study was launched in July 2025 by Ms. Caroline Aguti, Assistant Commissioner for Health, Safety, and Environment at Uganda’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.

“We look forward to scaling these innovations across West Nile and integrating them into national waste frameworks,” she said. Sarah Carl, IOM Uganda’s Head of Programmes and Policy Development, emphasizes the broader impact:

“This initiative is more than a technical fix—it’s a blueprint for inclusive, sustainable development in refugee-hosting regions,” she noted.

Yuma, now a holder of a diploma in Social Work and Social Administration thanks to his involvement with BEMCoS, believes the cooperative is ready for the next phase.

“BEMCoS has taught us more than how to fix lanterns,” he says, eyes lighting up. “It’s taught us how to rebuild our lives,”