Most of the people in Uganda cook food using charcoal, kerosene, or firewood stoves. Eco Group Limited – a Ugandan company -is producing an alternative using volcanic rock that has been broken down to the size of charcoal.
An Eco-friendly product hailing from Uganda
The volcanic rock stove created by Eco Group Ltd is environment-friendly. This stove doesn’t require the use of firewood or charcoal which usually harms the environment. Surplus energy provided by this innovation is capable of providing solar power to charge phones, turn on light bulbs and run radios.
The rocks used in these stoves don’t release toxins while burnt, they are also reusable for the duration of two years.
Community kitchens in Uganda are currently using them. A Ugandan cook by the name of Susan Bamugamire who is part of a community kitchen stated “Rocks for fuel is a reprieve to all women in Africa.” Meaning that women will be relieved from having to collect firewood and charcoal.
Eco Group Ltd; Director Rose Twine, talked about her reasons behind starting such a project.
“It pains me when I see people cut down trees, some of the indigenous and decades-old, just for the sake of making charcoal or firewood,” she explained
The Kampala-based company aims at reducing deforestation, generating energy independence as well as implementing a smoke-free stove to provide a clean environment. The Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance encouraged the idea and urged to share the climate-friendly innovation on a continental basis. The company already started exporting some eco-stoves to Rwanda.
According to Eco Group Ltd, the high price of these stoves didn’t stop 4,500 Ugandans and local institutions from buying them. However, the people involved in the production of these stoves are working on reducing their costs so that more people can have access to it.
Mechanical engineer David Illukol stated, “All we need is further research on how to reduce the costs of production, and perhaps (on) maintaining them.”
