Saving shea: How a Ugandan woman is turning waste into clean energy
Summary
In northern Uganda, many shea trees are being cut down to make charcoal, causing environmental damage and loss of an important local resource. Lucy Everlyn Atim started a project that turns leftover shea husks into fuel briquettes, providing cleaner cooking fuel and helping women earn money.Key Facts
- Uganda loses about 122,000 hectares of forest each year, mostly due to charcoal production and logging.
- Approximately 90% of Ugandan homes use charcoal for cooking.
- Shea trees, valuable for their fruit and butter, are disappearing rapidly.
- Research shows mature shea trees on fallow land dropped from about 20 per area in 2008 to 10-15 by 2017.
- Lucy Everlyn Atim founded Moyao Africa Initiative to turn shea husks into fuel briquettes and support women’s income.
- Over 1,200 women collect shea waste, make briquettes, and process shea butter with the initiative’s help.
- Making briquettes uses shea husks mixed with clay and cassava flour, shaped into balls, and dried.
- The initiative plans to buy machines to increase briquette production year-round for better supply and income.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
