GREEN FOOTPRINT: transforming waste into style and sustainability

At a time when climate change and environmental degradation threaten the survival of entire communities, innovative youth-led projects emerge as signs of hope and alternative paths for the future. The PEGADAVERDE project, conceived by a group of Mozambican environmentalists, is one such initiative that proves that the future belongs to youth and that we cannot talk about sustainability without considering innovation. More than just a business, it is an inspiration for all strata of society: from policymakers to consumers, from entrepreneurs to students, and for all those who believe that small solutions can generate big transformations.

This is a living example of how creativity, environmental responsibility, and entrepreneurship can go hand in hand. PEGADAVERDE shows that dreaming of a greener world isn't enough; it's necessary to act, with courage and vision.

Sustainability with design and purpose

Transforming waste into innovative solutions is the starting point for PEGADAVERDE, founded by Maximilian Dinah Saeni, a young entrepreneur who believes that sustainability and design are not separate concepts, but allies. His vision is clear: to offer the Mozambican market a product that combines comfort, durability, and environmental awareness, challenging the reliance on plastic flip-flops that pollute soil and oceans.

The idea is to reuse plant and marine waste as raw materials to create eco-friendly flip-flops. Each pair represents more than just an everyday item: it symbolizes a real alternative to decades of pollution caused by disposable materials.

What sets PEGADAVERDE apart isn't just the product itself, but the narrative it conveys. By putting on one of these flip-flops, consumers actively participate in environmental preservation, transforming an everyday gesture into an act of ecological citizenship.

Recognition and social impact

Although still in the prototype phase, the project has already achieved significant successes that confirm its potential. It won the Inclusive Business Ideas Competition of the Empreender com Orgulho program, promoted by INCLUSÃO, and received public recognition from the President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, during the Job Fair.

Furthermore, PEGADAVERDE won first place in the Young Creative Award in the Khapfumo district, demonstrating that innovation, when combined with environmental commitment, can be valued in different spaces and contexts. Such distinctions not only solidify the project's credibility but also reinforce the message that it is possible to generate a positive impact from seemingly simple ideas.

The challenge of consolidation

Currently, PEGADAVERDE has a multidisciplinary team of three employees dedicated to perfecting every detail: from the resistance of the materials to the design, including the aesthetics and functionality of the flip-flops. At the same time, they are seeking financing that will allow them to enter the commercial market.

The path isn't easy. Innovating in a traditional sector like footwear requires patience, investment, and institutional support. But PEGADAVERDE's journey demonstrates that when young people combine creativity with social purpose, barriers become opportunities for growth and improvement.

A collective invitation

For Dinah and her team, each pair of flip-flops conveys a message: sustainability isn't a luxury, but a choice available at every step. The project aims not only to win customers, but to create a community of people willing to think and act differently.

In a context where solid waste accumulates in cities, clogs sewers, pollutes beaches, and threatens marine biodiversity, solutions like this point to a horizon of hope. It's as if each product carries the promise of a future where the economy and the environment don't cancel each other out, but rather strengthen each other.