North-West University (NWU) alumnus Ofentse Rabaji has truly proven how one man’s waste can be another man’s treasure.

The 27-year-old who holds a master’s degree in environmental management, has been making face masks for the less fortunate, by using scrap cotton fabric.

Ofentse also sells these masks to members of the public for as little as R35, and uses the proceeds to purchase essential goods for the people in need in and around the Potchefstroom area.

Starting his face mask initiative in April, he has made 100 masks to date.

“After President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that face masks are compulsory when one is in public, I realised that due to social-economic reasons a lot of people will not be able to purchase any,” says Ofentse.

His degree supports his mask project

Ofentse’s love for the environment motivated him to find an environmentally friendly way to make affordable quality masks.

“My master’s degree thesis focused on waste burning in Sharpeville, Vereeniging. I did waste characterisation, by finding out how much paper, glass and food waste were being discarded at illegal dumping sites in Sharpeville,” he says.

He discovered that most of the waste content was non-biodegradable plastic and textile. Textile waste in particular contributes towards environmental degradation as it takes between 25 and 50 years to decompose.

“With this mask project I remain aligned to the principles of the Waste Hierarchy. As little as it is, this is my contribution towards the country’s goal of zero waste to landfill by 2030,” says Ofentse.

New face mask range

Ofentse currently teaches at a school in Potchefstroom, and is the founder of Re Fentse Environmental Solutions (Pty) Ltd, a waste management and environmental education and awareness company.

He says he is now working on a new mask range with Helena van der Westhuizen, who is currently working towards her business qualification at the NWU. This new range is expected to be available sometime in June.

Ofentse Rabaji at his graduation ceremony.

Ofentse Rabaji wearing one of the masks he has made.