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Protecting the Mountain Gorillas of Virunga
Briquettes, Gorillas & Virunga Need YOUR Help!
After a year of pilot tests to determine the viability of biomass briquettes, it has become clear to all of us that the people of North Kivu province in DR Congo will readily accept briquettes as an alternative to illegal forest charcoal. This is big news because there hasn’t been a viable alternative to charcoal – a fuel credited with the wholesale deforestation happening now in Virunga National Park. Used by over 95% of the population, charcoal stands as the single biggest threat to the mountain gorillas and other flora and fauna in the park.
Here (starting from top left and going clockwise) you can see 1. briquettes drying in a makeshift greenhouse in Rumangabo with Jean-Bosco and Balemba - two key players in the project, 2. the local population learning about making briquettes and how to use the machine, 3. sacks of briquettes stored in Goma; we guarantee the purchase of production from villagers at $7/sack, and 4. the briquettes burning furiously.
There is more good news. SenterNovem in the Netherlands has just approved a subsidy from the Daey Ouwens Fund for Small-Scale Renewable Energy Projects to help carry our vital project forward. A big “thank you” goes out to SenterNovem and Eric van den Giessen of EnviroSecurity for making this possible. With this subsidy and your help, we are setting out to transition over 300,000 people in North Kivu from using charcoal cooking fuel to sustainable biomass briquettes. Yes, it is a massive undertaking, but providing an alternative to charcoal is now seen as the best way to protect Virunga National Park and its mountain gorillas. And, this program will provide new jobs for over 7,500 people that might otherwise be involved in the charcoal trade that is destroying Virunga National Park.
This is me - the number 1 briquette fan! I have been working on the briquette program for over 18 months now, having started in South Kivu (Bukavu).
Each one of us can play a vital role in helping raise the money needed to make the briquette project successful. If you are serious about saving the mountain gorillas of Virunga, this is the best way to help. Please give what you can, consider holding a fundraiser, and get the word out to your online community. We need you to get inspired and inspire others because with every passing minute, another tree falls in Virunga and the mountain gorillas move one step closer to extinction.
The mountain gorillas will be among some of the beneficiaries of a successful briquette program. The forests of Virunga will be able to breath a big sigh of relief.
If you would like to read more about this project you can read about greenhouses used for drying briquettes here, and how we access remote areas to provide briquette training and employment here. In the blog sidebar you can also click on the Alternative Energy category and you will see more posts that I have written with Robert Williams.
So the goal for this campaign is to raise: $28,897.00
What will this do?
Fund 100 new briquette presses and kits around Virunga National Park.
The costs are:
$92 for the actual press machine (you can see a picture of one here)
$36 for a 1/3 of a greenhouse (we supply 1 greenhouse for every 3 groups of briquette producers)
$28 for 2 tarps to protect from rain
$49.7 for a 1/3 of a mill (we supply 1 mill for every 3 groups of briquette producers)
$42 for 6 stoves (we provide 1 stove to each member of the 6-person briquette team)
$8 for 2 gerrycans that are used to carry water. Remember we have to mix water in with the mulch to get it to stick and actually make a briquette.
$13.20 for roofing
$19.87 for additional miscellaneous items such as large plastic buckets
So the total, per briquette machine with kit, is $288.97.
At the moment there are 130 briquette machines in full operation around Virunga - but we need to increase this by 100 by end May 09 if we want to have the impact that we need. The goal of this work has always been to provide an alternative to illegal charcoal from Virunga - so that is why we need your help. To make this possible. For all of us to breath easier - and for Virunga and the gorillas to survive.
Let me know if you have any questions - and thanks so much for all your support.
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RECENT DONATIONS
- Protecting area no. 138 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Multiple items
Unregistered Donor 45 $ -
Patrol Rations
Bill W 30 $ -
Protecting area no. 220 for one month
Anna M 25 $ - Protecting area no. 82 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ -
1 Briquette Stove
Stephen P 7 $ - Multiple items
Unregistered Donor 100 $ -
Protecting area no. 47 for one month
John R 25 $ -
Protecting area no. 12 for one month
Whitney 25 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Open donation
Selina S 100 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 10 $ - Ranger Patrols
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Karel V 25 $ - Protecting area no. 219 for one month
Christine D 25 $ - Protecting area no. 165 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ -
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Rosemary M 25 $ - Protecting area no. 51 for one month
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Protecting area no. 162 for one month
maria h 25 $ - Protecting area no. 174 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ -
Multiple items
Lou W 72 $ -
Open donation
Suzanne M 10 $ -
Protecting area no. 101 for one month
Retrosurfer 25 $ - Ranger Patrols
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Protecting area no. 132 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Support the Gorilla Orphans
Unregistered Donor 10 $ - Protecting area no. 2 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 50 $ - Briquette Program
Unregistered Donor 30 $ -
Protecting area no. 58 for one month
Harry v 25 $ -
Protecting area no. 91 for one month
Ally R 25 $ - Protecting area no. 217 for one month
25 $ - Protecting area no. 16 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Unregistered Donor 40 $ - Protecting area no. 187 for one month
Corey W 25 $ - Open donation
Maureen B 20 $ - Multiple items
Unregistered Donor 45 $ -
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Minna Maaria K 25 $ - Protecting area no. 137 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Open donation
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Rosemary M 40 $ - Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Unregistered Donor 40 $ -
Protecting area no. 54 for one month
Pirjo 25 $ -
Open donation
Happy Hollow Zoo 200 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 50 $ -
Briquette Program
Brenton H 12 $ - Protecting area no. 50 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Protecting area no. 59 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Patrol Rations
Unregistered Donor 15 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 20 $ - Support the Gorilla Orphans
Unregistered Donor 15 $ - Open donation
Caroline 50 $ -
Protecting area no. 31 for one month
De Zutter L 25 $ -
Open donation
Mary H 10 $ - Protecting area no. 116 for one month
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Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 30 $ - Open donation
Alex P 40 $ - Support the Gorilla Orphans
Unregistered Donor 10 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Briquette Program
Unregistered Donor 30 $ -
Open donation
Juli&Family R 10 $ - Briquette Program
Liz W 12 $ - Multiple items
Shashidhar K 62 $ - Protecting area no. 20 for one month
Jessica 25 $ - Patrol Rations
Caroline 15 $ - Protecting area no. 179 for one month
Caroline 25 $ - Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Unregistered Donor 40 $ - Open donation
Birgit T 30 $ - Fuel for Patrols
Unregistered Donor 10 $ - Protecting area no. 4 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Medical Kit
Samantha B 25 $ - Protecting area no. 1 for one month
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Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Open donation
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Unregistered Donor 10 $ - 10 x Support the Gorilla Orphans
Unregistered Donor 100 $ - Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Unregistered Donor 40 $ - Open donation
Ian C 25 $ - Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Unregistered Donor 40 $ -
Open donation
Bronwyn P 25 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 35 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Unregistered Donor 40 $ -
Protecting area no. 70 for one month
Rebecca T 25 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 10 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 15 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 20 $ - Protecting area no. 112 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Briquette Program
Suzannah 12 $ - Protecting area no. 66 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Protecting area no. 55 for one month
Pirjo 25 $ - Protecting area no. 61 for one month
Pirjo 25 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 50 $ - Open donation
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Unregistered Donor 25 $
- Protecting area no. 138 for one month
MEET THE TEAM
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Recent Posts
- Buhanga, the Solitary Silver..March 11, 2010
- Life is Good for the Gorilla..March 10, 2010
- Visit One of Africa’s ..March 8, 2010
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News from Congo
- US slams rights abuses in Sudan, Congo and Nigeria - Africasia
- Congo hopes new museum can heal nation's scars - Reuters South Africa
- UNICEF helping to keep displaced children in school in Republic of Congo - UNICEF (press release)
- CTC Suspends Congo Operation on Contract Non-Payment - BusinessWeek
- Former Congo rebels tighten grip on mines, says campaigner - Monsters and Critics.com
- Sex and power, from North Carolina to Congo - Huffington Post (blog)
- Congo-Kinshasa: ICC Prosecutors Tell Lubanga Witness He?s Just A Liar - AllAfrica.com
- UN to start troop withdrawals from Congo in 2010 - Reuters
- War crimes trial of DR.Congo's Bemba delayed - AFP
- French President Calls for Stronger Forest Preservation Effort - Voice of America
This website was funded by the European Union and the Prince Bernard Nature Fund.
27 Responses to “Briquettes, Gorillas & Virunga Need YOUR Help!”
Could you sometime describe the actual physical process of creating the biomass briquettes?
In particular, what biomass are they composed of?
Hey Virginia. i am loocking for colaboration.
Hi Ceedee. Virginia is just out right now checking on how a group of cooks in a restaurant are getting on with some briquettes. She will be online later to answer your questions!
Y Gracias Betty - fanastico que puedas colaborar
Gracias Betty!
Dear Ceedee: the actual process of making briquettes engages 6 people per pressing machine. First they have to gather the material (leaves, sawdust, rice husks, etc). If they want to make compost, they will have to crush the leaves and leave them inside a humid plastic bag for about 2 weeks. Then the materials are mixed with water, and using the PVC cylinders, then it is pourred into those cylinders to press them with the wooden press. Voila you get 2 fuel briquettes per cylinder. Then they need to be dried out. Depending on which system used, it can take from 2 days, to 2 weeks. We then collect and buy their production once a week.
Dear Virginia,
congratulations for your work and thanks for the up date. Of course I will reproduce the news and your need for support in my blog where your interview in Buenos Aires last December is one of the most visited.
Please, take also into consideration that mid october in Buenos Aires will be held the World Forest Congress http://www.wfc2009.org . I am sure that there will be delegates and participantes coming from the DRC who could help in disseminating such wonderful initiative among people from all over the world. A lots of events on deforestation in differents parts of the world are foreseen. This Congress is held every six years in a different country and is a a huge event for those concerned about deforestation.
Warm Regards
Susana
Thank you Kathleen, Andrew, Carol, Jeanine, Vanessa, Pirjo and Alberto for your donations so far! Brilliant. I know I always say this, but once again the donations go to the field in their entirety as our admin costs are covered by the European Union. Also donations reach the field in a matter of days - all we have to do is transfer them to the bank in Congo. Thank you all.
Thanks Virginia and to all of you who have donated so generously to this campaign. I cannot tell you how important this briquette program is to the future of the park.
Dear Virginia and ‘Operation Fuel Briquette’ team.
What great progress and it’s fantastic to imagine how many jobs will be created…this must make the concept of briquettes & the benefits of using the even more appealing and easier to embrace. I will spread the word as much as I can and give as much as I am able to, well done for coming this far!
Best wishes to all
I’ve seen them burning in combo and they really works!
And thank you to all of you again who have donated since I posted my last comment. This is a wonderful response for the first day of the campaign. It is so encouraging to get this level of support for everyone working so hard on the ground in Virunga to make this project happen. The team extends far and wide and the results of their work need to spread further and wider. This kind of support makes this possible.
I woke up this morning to see the thermometer going up, almost 50 donations so far, and I would like to thank everyone who has contributed towards this project! Thank you also for passing by, reading the blog and leaving your comments. Everyone of your actions is absolutely encouraging to all of us.
This is such a cool program! I love how one investment can help in so many different ways: slowing deforestation, saving the habitats of gorillas and other life, helping the local people earn money and improve their quality of life, and providing a legal and inexpensive fuel throughout the region.
I’m very excited to be able to donate to such an effort, and I’ll be spreading the word as well. Great work, all of you!
That’s exactly right John. Since we started the campaign yesterday, we’ve raised enough to launch about 10 village briquette factories. That’s a sustainable income for 60 families in the areas worst affected by the war last year. Soon they should yield at least 60 sacks of 440 briquettes a day. I’m not sure of the exact figures yet, but that should save several trees every day, and deprive the armed groups of the forest of a source of illegal income. It’s still a long way to go, but what a big step in the right direction…
Thank Virginia .Good job!
Félicitations pour ton projet au service des hommes , des gorilles et de notre planète.
I like
Virginia, thanks for your detailed explanation of the process.
The project is brilliant in every way.
I’ll be making a donation when my next pay cheque arrives!
Viva Virunga!
Virginia I wish I could give more but being a pensioner it is difficult I just hope that everyone gives at least 10USD then I know you will reach your target. Thank you for your brilliant work in saving these magnificent beings.
Thank you everyone for your donations and comments once again. We will be in touch every week with news from the field and every progress we make. Now that production is up and running, we need to focus on the fuel briquette’s sales. Loads of sacks are coming in from the machines we have installed, and we have to sell those in Goma to keep purchasing from them!
Go Virginia! You could sell ice to the eskimos
And a big big THANK YOU to Gary W who has sent a check for $5,000 for the briquette program.
[...] Most importantly however, we need your help: if you haven’t seen already, last week we launched an appeal for donations to buy 100 more briquette presses and kits. [...]
[...] If you feel remotely moved by this then send them a donation or sponsor them, every little counts! [...]
I just made a donation as a wedding gift to a couple who are asking for donations to their favorite causes instead of gifts. They will enjoy reading about the briquettes program, one of my favorite Virunga projects.
s.
[...] you Andrew C and Gary W! We are almost there …. hopefully we will reach the target for the 100 briquette pressing machines and accessories needed to install in May. This is certainly our most successful campaign to [...]
[...] Dear All, I just wanted to tell you the good news about Africa Conservation Fund and their Fuel Briquette Program in Virunga National Park. I am currently coordinating such iniciative, and there are 130 pressing [...]
[...] hope to see the Protect the Park project improve in leaps and bounds, and of course the briquettes which is a massive project that is so important to all of us. We have nearly reached our target [...]
[...] ends the Fuel Briquette campaign launched last month to raise $28,897 for the 100 pressing machines and accessories to be installed in the month of May. [...]
ante s que todo felicitaciones por tu proyecto y exitos paso a contarte o a pedirte si me puedes mandar algunos modelos de prensa para briquetas si no te molesta ,yo lo quiero hacer para usar el aserrin que me sobra en la carpinteria
sin mas que decirte me despido
luis