KOICA Alumni Champion Clean Cooking in Kigezi with Briquette Training

Professionals in Uganda who have benefited from training in South Korea through KOICA are now leading a campaign to promote climate-smart solutions. Their latest initiative, held on August 29, 2026, brought charcoal briquette-making training to Kabale District, targeting community leaders, women, and youth groups.

The training equips participants with practical skills to produce alternative cooking fuel using readily available materials such as charcoal dust, sawdust, and agricultural waste. This effort is a direct response to the significant pressure on Uganda’s forests, largely due to the widespread reliance on wood fuel for cooking.

Organizers highlight that the adoption of briquettes can substantially decrease dependence on firewood, thereby contributing to forest conservation. Furthermore, the initiative aims to foster green entrepreneurship by providing women and young people with skills that can be transformed into income-generating ventures.

This campaign is part of a broader strategy by KOICA alumni, including Florence Nayebare, Arnorld Ayebazibwe, Stella Maris Bukirwa, and Robert Kasagga, to promote various climate actions such as tree planting and the development of green enterprises. They emphasize that briquettes offer a practical, locally sourced solution to clean energy needs.

As concerns about deforestation and household air pollution rise globally, with Africa facing substantial forest loss, such initiatives are becoming increasingly crucial. KOICA Uganda program manager Yunjeong Heo noted that charcoal briquettes present a viable local answer to energy transition and climate change challenges, offering environmental benefits and economic opportunities.

The alumni are also engaging educational institutions, with visits to schools like Mengo Senior Secondary School exploring or adopting briquettes. They are advocating for increased support from government and stakeholders to scale up these community-based climate initiatives, ensuring access to technology, training, and markets for clean cooking solutions.

The initiative was also attended by Dr. Protazio Begumisa, the MP for Ndorwa East. Ultimately, the campaign seeks to demonstrate how international training can be effectively translated into solutions for local development challenges.

Source: Nile Post