RODERICK HORKY MATOUNDOU

Roderick is the co-founder and CEO of EKOMELI, a school chalk manufacturing company. EKOMELI produces white and colored dustless and nontoxic chalks by using gypsum powder through a specific process that they have developed themselves. Roderick has chosen this work because he is passionate about creating jobs and promoting local production to reduce the Republic of Congo’s dependence on imports. Before Ekomeli, obtaining chalk was a challenge as schools needed to make multiple long-distance daily trips to the market. Ekomeli has combined affordable school chalks with modern ways of ordering and delivering. Ekomeli has helped schools save time and money and has created 17 direct jobs and around 30 indirect jobs. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Roderick plans to have a greater social impact by creating more job opportunities - especially for young people – through better management of his current company and the creation of others.
 

EDUCATION

Engineering degree - UCAC-ICAM Institute