Of green livelihoods in Kyaka II settlement

Refugee communities supported by DRDIP in Kyaka II settlement are now producing energy saving cooking stoves on their own after receiving technical training and support from the project. Ronald Anguria of Green Heat (U)Ltd, an implementing agent of DRDIP says the beneficiary refugees had their capacity built on; cook stove fabrication, sustainable usage of the stoves, marketing, sales and record keeping.

Four groups within the settlement have already made great progress. In Bukere area, the supported group made 375 stoves now ready for marketing, while Bwirize group now have 230 in the market. Others are; Itambabiniga community with 350 Stoves, and 330 in Sweswe area.Their products are now sold locally in markets and the beneficiaries use proceeds to pay their children’s’ school fees but also to acquire basic household requirements, says, Angura.

Whereas the stoves are aimed at reducing tree cutting as a way of protecting the environment, the beneficiaries also earn a living from sales of the excess Stoves, now that they have skills to produce by themselves. Ms Ndigize Rutamu, one of the beneficiaries says, she has gained a rare skill that she never thought would come her way. Ndigize adds, “the stoves have made cooking so easy, so clean and so fast”.

Another beneficiary, Adam Ali Mukta considers that the skill gained to make energy saving cooking stoves is an asset that will make him easily employable when he goes back to Ethiopia, his home Country. “Right now the skill is helping us to survive by selling the products and earning profits instead of doing nothing and moving around begging or waiting for free supplies from Government or NGOs”, Mukta explains.

As for David Ndufasha, the shift from using firewood to stove has relived his children from going to the forest looking for firewood. “now my children can concentrate in school, but also we are saving the environment by not cutting too many trees for cooking”, Ndufasha reveals.

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