Handover of briquette machines to SMEs in Lubaga Division and Nansana

On the 24^th November and 6^th December 2011, Living Earth Uganda awarded two small micro enterprises in Lubaga Division and four small micro enterprises (SMESs) in Nansana with charring drums and chop stick briquette machines.

The successful SMEs received briquette machines, handed to them officially by the mayor of Lubaga Division and Technical staff of Nansana Town Council, as a means of illustrating the existing partnership between Living Earth Uganda and Local Government.

LEU’s Executive Director discussed the positive aspects of using charcoal briquettes over ordinary charcoal with regards to affordability, environmental benefits; encouraging clean cooking, reducing the dependence on trees for fuel and environmental waste as well as providing a source of income for communities making the briquettes. Aside from providing training in briquette making, it was outlined how LEU provides support to groups to produce the briquettes sustainably.

The Mayor of Lubaga Division, Ms Joyce Ssebugwawo, thanked LEU for its work in addressing environmental issues of concern within the communities; instigating interventions reducing environmental degradation, enabling people to generate incomes and  emphasising how solid waste is a major challenge to local councils including Kampala City Council Authority.

LEU received teedback from one of the beneficiaries, Ms.Namutebi Tophus, citing how much she had appreciated LEU’s involvement in the community; “ I thank LEU for the decision of a seed grant and positive response you made to my project, I have the potential to develop our community through sensitizing mostly the women and the Youths because it is indeed the big population in our community. We have been really troubled a lot hiring a charring drum all the time and the lacking the modified machine that can ease our work in production. You are indeed a blessing to our community and the project as well.”