Women in Mbarara District, with support from the Microfinance Support Center through the Emyooga program, are transforming charcoal dust into high-demand briquettes, creating an eco-friendly alternative to traditional charcoal.
This innovative venture is not only reducing waste but also generating significant income for the women involved.
Immaculate Tumuhimbise Mayanja, chairperson of Mbarara City South Women Entrepreneurs Emyooga SACCO and a member of Kakoba E1 Women Entrepreneurs Emyooga Association, has been a key beneficiary of this initiative. She earns millions from selling the briquettes and charcoal stoves produced by SACCO members.
"In a month, we make around 4,500 briquettes, selling each at Shs 1,500, generating about Shs 6.75 million per month," Tumuhimbise said.
She noted that the investment required for briquette production is relatively small, yet the returns are substantial due to limited competition in this market.
"The investment is small, and the returns are remarkable because it's an area that many have not ventured into," she explained.
The idea of producing briquettes came after extensive research in local hotels around Mbarara, where the team observed a shift towards energy-saving measures.
Recognizing a business opportunity, they began producing charcoal briquettes as a sustainable alternative.
"We conducted a feasibility study in hotels around Mbarara and realized that many were adopting energy-saving mechanisms to reduce costs. We saw an opportunity in briquettes, which are preferred in both Mbarara and Kampala," she noted.
With Shs 50 million allocated to Mbarara South Women's SACCO by the government, Tumuhimbise's association received Shs 7 million, which they used to establish a new production center.
"We initially received Shs 1 million to purchase a briquette molding machine, followed by Shs 3 million to set up a dryer and production stand. The remaining funds were used to establish another center in Nyamitanga," Tumuhimbise explained.
The association has secured contracts with several hotels in Mbarara, providing a steady customer base for their briquettes.
"We have contracts with big hotels like Ruhinda Inn, and even supply to small businesses such as chapatti makers, who have embraced our products," she said.
Tumuhimbise revealed plans to seek certification after receiving training from the Microfinance Support Center (MSC) to expand their market reach.
"We are working towards formalizing our business by registering with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), and Uganda Revenue Authority (URA). Once certified, we aim to expand our market to neighboring countries," she added.
She highlighted the cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits of charcoal briquettes, encouraging more people to switch from traditional charcoal.
"Briquettes are cost-effective, with one briquette lasting an entire day for cooking. This helps reduce deforestation as people move away from traditional charcoal," she said.
Tumuhimbise also shared plans to adopt cleaner production methods by using agricultural waste instead of traditional charcoal.
"We hope to start using the Kirini method, which involves using agricultural waste like dry banana leaves and maize cobs to produce charcoal dust, making our production even more sustainable," she explained.
She praised the MSC and the government for their support and encouraged other SACCO leaders to engage in similar initiatives, sharing skills with their communities.
Tumuhimbise's remarks came during a visit to her production site by 24 Emyooga Program SACCO leaders from the Kigezi sub-region, who were on a five-day exchange visit to the Ankole region.