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Protecting the Mountain Gorillas of Virunga
We Need More Fuel Briquettes!
Here is a general update about our Fuel Briquette Program here in and around Virunga National Park:
1. 100% of our fuel briquette production output is being sold. Both April and May’s stock was delivered to the five refugee camps in Goma (Bulengo, Mugunga 1, Mugunga 2, Mugunga 3 and Kibati). WWF is purchasing our monthly yield through their emergency fuel fund, and Mercy Corps is in charge of the distribution.
Refugees waiting in line, for their share of fuel briquettes
And then off to their tents with bags of fuel briquettes
2. We are currently training more Rangers and local staff to get them out on the ground to provide proper support to beneficiaries who have received a pressing machine with accessories. We urgently need to get the production yield up. We are confident we can create a demand, but the product has to be out there, competing with charcoal in the markets.
10 Rangers attending training in Don Bosco’s premises in Goma
3. Greenhouses for all. Remember that a dry fuel briquette means a smoke-free fuel source. We need to make sure all pressing teams on the ground have their greenhouse built to quickly dry the briquettes. Last week we ran a training session on how to build a greenhouse, so by the end of this month every group will have one in place. We hope that means production should double!
Cutting the local bamboo for the structure
Getting the structure up for the transparent plastic
Balemba with the white shirt, posing with the Rangers inside the finished greenhouse in Matebe
All efforts are now going into increasing the fuel briquette production and placing good trainers on the ground to give all necessary support and encourage the local population.
Lastly, we are installing our carpentry workshop in Rumangabo, from where we will be making our own pressing machines. More about all this in the next post, so stay tuned!
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RECENT DONATIONS
- Protecting area no. 132 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - 2 x Patrol Rations
Unregistered Donor 40 $ - Protecting area no. 2 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ -
Open donation
Betul A 20 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 50 $ -
Open donation
Suzanne M 10 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 100 $ - Protecting area no. 174 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 35 $ -
Multiple items
Lou W 72 $ - Briquette Program
Lou W 30 $ - Briquette Program
Lou W 30 $ -
Protecting area no. 101 for one month
Retrosurfer 25 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 25 $ -
Open donation
Debbie E 25 $ - Medical Kit
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 100 $ - Ranger Patrols
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 100 $ - Support the Gorilla Orphans
Unregistered Donor 10 $ - Multiple items
Unregistered Donor 70 $ -
Open donation
Garrett Z 100 $ - Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Unregistered Donor 40 $ - Multiple items
Unregistered Donor 35 $ - Open donation
Retrosurfer 50 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 100 $ -
Protecting area no. 58 for one month
Harry v 25 $ -
Protecting area no. 91 for one month
Ally R 25 $ - Protecting area no. 16 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Fuel for Patrols
Unregistered Donor 10 $ - Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Unregistered Donor 40 $ - Patrol Rations
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Multiple items
Unregistered Donor 95 $ -
Protecting area no. 217 for one month
25 $ - 2 x Emergency Support to Ranger Widows
Unregistered Donor 40 $ - Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Unregistered Donor 40 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 50 $ - 1 Briquette Stove
Unregistered Donor 7 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 20 $ -
Open donation
Elizabeth P 50 $ - Protecting area no. 187 for one month
Corey W 25 $ - Open donation
Maureen B 20 $ - Multiple items
Unregistered Donor 45 $ -
Protecting area no. 49 for one month
Minna Maaria K 25 $ - Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Unregistered Donor 40 $ -
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 $ - Support the Gorilla Orphans
Unregistered Donor 15 $ -
Open donation
Mary H 10 $ - Open donation
Caroline 50 $ -
Protecting area no. 31 for one month
De Zutter L 25 $ - Protecting area no. 116 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Patrol Rations
Unregistered Donor 15 $ - Protecting area no. 178 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Briquette Program
Unregistered Donor 12 $ - Patrol Rations
Unregistered Donor 15 $ - Protecting area no. 83 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Support the Gorilla Orphans
Unregistered Donor 10 $ -
Protecting area no. 54 for one month
Pirjo 25 $ - Open donation
Alex P 40 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 30 $ - Patrol Rations
Unregistered Donor 15 $ - Briquette Program
Unregistered Donor 30 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 50 $ -
Protecting area no. 57 for one month
Zoe M 25 $ -
Protecting area no. 63 for one month
Jane H 25 $ - Multiple items
Unregistered Donor 150 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 150 $ - Protecting area no. 10 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Protecting area no. 203 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Briquette Program
Liz W 12 $ -
Open donation
Juli&Family R 10 $ - Multiple items
Shashidhar K 62 $ -
Protecting area no. 30 for one month
Sofie V 25 $ - Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Unregistered Donor 40 $ - Protecting area no. 20 for one month
Jessica 25 $ - Patrol Rations
Caroline 15 $ - Fuel for Patrols
Unregistered Donor 10 $ - Protecting area no. 65 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Protecting area no. 1 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 10 $ -
Protecting area no. 70 for one month
Rebecca T 25 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 15 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 10 $ - 2 x 1 Briquette Stove
Unregistered Donor 14 $ - Protecting area no. 62 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Protecting area no. 55 for one month
Pirjo 25 $ - Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Unregistered Donor 40 $ - Protecting area no. 66 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Protecting area no. 61 for one month
Pirjo 25 $ - Protecting area no. 112 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 20 $ - Briquette Program
Suzannah 12 $ - Protecting area no. 6 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Protecting area no. 28 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Protecting area no. 38 for one month
scott l 25 $ - Protecting area no. 13 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - Open donation
Unregistered Donor 10 $ - Multiple items
Unregistered Donor 204 $
- Protecting area no. 132 for one month
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10 Responses to “We Need More Fuel Briquettes!”
Thanks for the wexcellent report. This program is so worth while!!
I knew this project would take off like a rocket! Congratulations on a big success, Virgninia!
Fantastic results! You are all wonder workers! x
impresionante!!!!!!
Felicitaciones y hasta cualquier momento
Susana
Hi Virginia,
Thanks for the update, this is excellent news!
Questions: are the new users of briquettes advocating them to their family and neighbours? Are you seeing horizontal progress of awareness?
Also, big question, do the briquettes smell in any way? As some foods are grilled, a smelly smoke would impede the progress of briquette conversion (I’m not saying charcoal doesn’t smell or smells nice, but it’s likely to be an aquired taste!)
Really looking forward to reading more news
Take care and congratulations on the great work.
Virginia. you are a Super Super woman…. sigue adelante-
Fantastic work Virginia, Balemba, Jean Bosco & all the team!
A round of applause to the Briquette Team. You guys are making huge progress. And, great looking greenhouses!!
[...] by training them on how to produce these briquettes by supplying them with training and equipment. These briquettes are then also distributed in and around the various refugee camps in Goma. The lack of interest in charcoal also of course means the parks could potentially be saved and a [...]
[...] by training them on how to produce these briquettes by supplying them with training and equipment. These briquettes are then also distributed in and around the various refugee camps in Goma. The lack of interest in charcoal also of course means the parks could potentially be saved and a [...]