Making charcoal briquettes
Charcoal briquettes can be made from readily available and waste materials and burn longer than traditional charcoal. They are easy to make on a small or large scale, so can be a source of income generation for the family.
Charcoal briquettes can be made from readily available and waste materials and burn longer than traditional charcoal. They are easy to make on a small or large scale, so can be a source of income generation for the family.
Lillian met A Rocha Uganda when a spring well was constructed in Luzira where she lives with her husband and their three young children. Lillian was among the residents who were pleased that the well was being constructed in their community. So pleased, in fact, Lillian paid for meals for the workers over three days. This act of generosity prompted the A Rocha staff make contact with Lillian. She and her friends were invited to attend a Basic Sanitation & Hygiene workshop organized by A Rocha Uganda. It was during this workshop that Lillian heard about briquette making.
Lillian had long been interested in briquette making, but had not known how where to learn about it. This new knowledge, gained from A Rocha, was a huge breakthrough for her. After learning how to make the briquettes and beginning to use them herself she discovered that the briquettes lasted 100% longer than the charcoal she usually burned. She is now planning to start her own business – selling charcoal in her neighbourhood, so that she will be able to use the leftover waste charcoal dust to make briquettes for use both in her own home and for selling to neighbours. Lillian believes that her new enterprise will help her generate cash income, so important in caring for her family and for paying school fees.
“I did not know that a small good turn can make me acquire bigger things.”
Lillian made this comment both in relation to the good water her family now gets from the spring well and the training in sanitation and briquette making she received through the A Rocha training.
As a born-again Christian Lillian recognised the training as God-given gifts. She is thankful for the training which can help people in our abandoned areas (her words).
PLEASE HELP! Through ‘Gifts With a Difference’ at shop.arocha.org you could train ten people to make briquettes