Credit: Malteser International

Environment Uganda24. January 2020

Refugees in Uganda Produce Straw Bales to Replace Unsustainable Bricks

A social enterprise and a humanitarian relief agency have partnered together to open a new facility in northern Uganda that produces eco-friendly straw panels. Their goal: creating job opportunities while fighting environmental degradation.

“Straw bale construction is a green alternative to the traditional fired clay brick method which requires huge amounts of firewood and water, and are environmentally unsustainable,” says Roland Hansen, Head of the Africa Program at the humanitarian relief agency Malteser International. “The manufacture of straw panels, on the other hand, does not deplete natural resources of raw materials. In fact, we will be able to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 11,000 tons per year.”

The factory, constructed by Ugandan social enterprise Impact Business Solutions Foundations, intends to employ some of the 1.3 million refugees residing in the region. Hansen says they plan to employ around 100 people once fully operational, as well as another 900 in construction projects.

Source:
Malteser International

:::::: Related Articles

Back to top button