Founder & CEO
Sonko Jamal
Founder & CEO
Sonko Jamal
Founder and Chief Executive Officer leading Kyuka Ventures' strategy, partnerships and the scale-up of our circular clean cooking platform across Uganda.
About us
Turning Uganda's plastic crisis into clean cooking energy
Founded in 2022 by Sonko Jamal, Kyuka Ventures Innovation Hub sits at the intersection of clean energy, waste management and climate action — built in Kampala, designed for the continent.
Our story
Two crises, one circular solution
Plastic waste blocks drainage, pollutes communities, enters waterways and is often burned or dumped. At the same time, millions of Ugandan households still rely on charcoal and firewood — exposing families to indoor smoke, fuel insecurity and rising costs.
Kyuka connects these challenges into one model: recover low-value plastic, convert it into clean cooking fuel, distribute it through affordable Pay-As-You-Cook access, and create dignified income for women and youth.
What we stand for
A mission you can feel in every kitchen
Mission
Transform plastic waste into affordable clean cooking energy.
Create green jobs and protect communities from pollution, deforestation and energy poverty.
Vision
Clean cooking access for every household. Value from every kilo of waste.
A future where every low-income household can cook cleanly, and every city can turn plastic waste into productive value.
Dignity first
Every customer, collector and team member is treated with respect — from kitchen training to fair pay.
Community-built
Hubs are co-designed with women, youth and local leaders. Nothing about them, without them.
Circular by design
Waste, energy, jobs and data flow in a loop — not a line. Every kilo carries value.
Quietly engineered
Soot-Free Reactive Extraction, AI optimisation and safety standards do the heavy lifting.
Founder
Led by climate entrepreneur Sonko Jamal
Sonko Jamal is a climate entrepreneur, mechanical engineer by training and 2025 #MeetTheMB100 honouree. He leads strategy, partnerships and the scale-up of Kyuka's circular clean cooking platform across Uganda.
Before founding Kyuka, Sonko spent four years in industrial waste management and renewable energy projects across East Africa. He founded Kyuka in 2022 with a simple conviction: Africa's plastic crisis and Africa's cooking crisis are the same crisis — and they can solve each other.
He represents Kyuka in policy dialogues with KCCA, NEMA and the Clean Cooking Alliance, and is a regular speaker on circular economy and women-led climate enterprise.
The journey
From a single hub to a regional platform
2022
Kyuka founded in Kampala
Sonko Jamal launches the first plastic-to-fuel R&D under the Innovation Hub.
2023
Katanga community pilot
First waste-to-LPG hub goes live with women collectors and an early PAYG cohort.
2024
Independent climate validation
Pilot results reviewed by independent climate monitors and ecosystem partners.
2025
Recognised in #MeetTheMB100
Featured among Meaningful Business' top 100 leaders building a better future.
2026
Regional scale-up
Modular Kyuka hubs prepared for replication across East Africa.
Leadership team
The people building Uganda'scircular clean-cooking platform.
Climate entrepreneurs, engineers and community builders behind Kyuka Ventures.
Chief Operating Officer
Namukose Mariam
COO overseeing day-to-day operations, community programmes, Waste Insure rollout and women-led collection networks across Kampala and Wakiso.
Chief Technology Officer
Lavia Mello
CTO leading our patent-pending SFRET plastic-to-LPG conversion process, reactor design, fuel quality control and R&D.
Chief Financial Officer
Ashaba Ajrah
CFO leading finance, investor reporting, PAYG portfolio management and capital strategy for Kyuka's expansion.
Chief Marketing Officer
Nandawula Gillian
CMO leading brand, customer acquisition and the household clean-cooking growth strategy across pilot and new regions.
Advisory Board
Trusted advisors guiding our growth
Senior advisors from energy, environment, policy and community-development networks in Uganda.
SZ
Sserunga Zubair
Advisory Board
LH
Lubowa Henery
Advisory Board
AH
Abenaitwe Humayiya
Advisory Board
MJ
Matini Janepher
Advisory Board
MM
Munyagwa Mubarak
Advisory Board
Community stories
Climate innovation works best when it puts people first.
Real stories from households, women waste collectors, food vendors, youth collection teams and community hub leaders.
Katanga, Kampala — Kyuka pilot community
"
Before Kyuka, plastic had no value here. Now I collect 8–10 kg every morning before school runs, and my children see the difference at home.
Sarah N.
Waste collector & mother of three, Katanga
"
I used to spend UGX 4,500 on charcoal every day for my food stall. With Pay-As-You-Cook, I top up UGX 2,000 and cook all day. The smoke is gone too.
Aisha M.
Food vendor, Mengo market
"
Cooking with Kyuka gas saved me almost two hours a day — no more collecting firewood, no more red eyes from smoke. My baby breathes easier.
Grace K.
Household customer, Wakiso