In a bid to help older persons in Entebbe live productive lives, the Health Nest Uganda (HENU) is continuously training them on how to make briquettes as an alternative source of fuel other than using Charcoal and firewood that are destructive to the environment.
HENU’s Arthur Namara revealed during a one day workshop training that was held at Peniel Beach in Entebbe on Wednesday that using briquettes as an alternative source of fuel is the way to go adding that between 1990 and 2005 over 26 percent of Uganda’s forest cover has been lost due to tree cutting and that by 2050 Uganda’s forest cover will be completely depleted.
“70 percent of urban people use charcoal while 82 percent of rural people use firewood and the rate at which charcoal is being used in urban centers increases by 6 percent annually which matches with the rate of urbanization. The statistics clearly show that Uganda is headed for a crisis if the forests aren’t conserved”, Namara stated.
“We are hopeful that the older persons will earn some income from selling the briquettes which have proven to be cost effective, last longer while cooking and are environmental friendly. All they need is to mobilize themselves in their respective groups so as to raise the capital that they will use to buy raw materials to make standard briquettes”, added Namara
The one training workshop was organized to among others enable the older persons learn how to add value to the briquettes through recycling used cement bags as packaging materials and branding them. Representatives from the respective older persons groups in Katabi, Kitubulu, Nkumba, Bugonga, Kiwafu and Kabaale zones attended the workshop training and will train their fellow group members.
A kilogram of Briquettes which contains 15 briquettes costs Shs3000 on the Ugandan market and can be made from saw dust, maize combs, coffee husks, papyrus and water hyacinth.
