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Protecting the Mountain Gorillas of Virunga
12 Briquette Shops open in Goma - 6 more by end Nov
First of all a big hello to all readers. I am back in Goma from maternity leave, with more energy than ever to make sure that fuel briquettes are sold like hot cakes …. a difficult (but not impossible) task to achieve!
Previously we told you about the moving truck going around the streets of Goma with 6 guys dressed with gorilla suits, selling sacks of fuel briquettes, and playing a song Katya specially wrote about the “new charcoal”. It was a complete success, and we will continue doing it every day now.
But of course that is not enough. So we have opened 12 shops in the busiest areas of town, where makala (charcoal) is being sold (and of course where our target market is!)
Balemba and the saleswomen at the shop in the “Deux Lampes” neighborhood in Goma
So yesterday I went with Balemba to visit one of the shops, where fuel briquettes are sold side by side with makala. It is the same charcoal saleswomen who are now offering the briquettes. It is a great result.
A signpost was put up advertising fuel briquettes. It reads, in Swahili, Makala Ya Sasa “The New Charcoal” is sold here.
A saleslady grins as she sells the briquettes!
So now it is crunch time. We will be opening 6 more shops by the end of November. And we are adopting an aggressive marketing strategy. At the same time we also have plans to build a warehouse on the edge of Goma so that we can perfect the quality control and distribution of the briquettes.
Thank you for your continued donations. All kind of support is much appreciated as we continue on this journey to halt the deforestation of Virunga’s forests.
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RECENT DONATIONS
- 18 Mar 2010 Multiple items
Unregistered Donor 22 $ - 18 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 67 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - 18 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 17 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - 17 Mar 2010Open donation
Unregistered Donor 30 $ - 17 Mar 20102 x Support the Gorilla Orphans
Unregistered Donor 30 $ - 17 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 33 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ -
17 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 218 for one month
Thierry 25 $ -
16 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 89 for one month
andrew 25 $ - 16 Mar 2010Briquette Program
Unregistered Donor 12 $ - 16 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 46 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - 16 Mar 20102 x Briquette Program
60 $ -
16 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 210 for one month
Hector F 25 $ -
15 Mar 20102 x Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Deborah L 80 $ - 15 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 200 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ -
15 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 56 for one month
Brenton H 25 $ -
15 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 35 for one month
Theresa S 25 $ -
15 Mar 2010Support the Gorilla Orphans
Vanessa N 10 $ -
15 Mar 20101 Briquette Stove
Alberto G 7 $ - 15 Mar 2010financing bukima Open donation
Vanessa N 20 $ -
15 Mar 2010Open donation
Erica 500 $ - 14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 193 for one month
Raemonde B 25 $ - 14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 41 for one month
Theresa S 25 $ - 14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 36 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ -
14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 60 for one month
Danny M 25 $ - 14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 3 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ -
14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 109 for one month
Gillian 25 $ - 14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 43 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ -
14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 42 for one month
Robert W 25 $ - 14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 21 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - 14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 69 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - 14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 24 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ - 14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 64 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ -
14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 314 for one month
Wolfgang 25 $ - 14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 310 for one month
Wolfgang 25 $ - 14 Mar 2010Support the Gorilla Orphans
Unregistered Donor 10 $ - 14 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 126 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ -
13 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 164 for one month
Lynn H 25 $ - 13 Mar 2010Open donation
Unregistered Donor 10 $ - 13 Mar 2010Briquette Program
Sasha A 12 $ -
13 Mar 20102 x Briquette Program
Philippa T 24 $ - 13 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 62 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $ -
13 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 5 for one month
Etienne B 25 $ -
13 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 26 for one month
Jean-Luc P 25 $ - 13 Mar 2010Open donation
Unregistered Donor 100 $ - 13 Mar 2010Emergency Support to Ranger Widows
Brenton H 20 $ - 12 Mar 2010Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Unregistered Donor 40 $ -
12 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 216 for one month
Grant H 25 $ - 12 Mar 2010Salary Supplement for a Ranger
Whitney 40 $ - 12 Mar 2010Briquette Program
Unregistered Donor 12 $ - 12 Mar 2010Protecting area no. 44 for one month
Unregistered Donor 25 $
- 18 Mar 2010 Multiple items
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News from Congo- Paris Club gives 100% debt relief to Democratic Republic of Congo - RIA Novosti
- Poaching of Elephants in Congo on the Increase, Researchers Say - BusinessWeek
- Republic of Congo, South Africa: African Bond, Currency Preview - BusinessWeek
- Belgian king to attend Congo independence events - eTaiwan News
- 19 reported killed in DR Congo attacks - AFP
- Congo Rejects UN Call for Publication of Election Schedule - BusinessWeek
- WFP launches airlift to help DR.Congo refugees in Congo - AFP
- Peace accords start to bear fruit in Congo - Independent Online
- Over 600 Rwandan rebels killed or captured: DR.Congo army - AFP
- Kobe gets a court in the Congo - ProBasketballTalk (blog)
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9 Responses to “12 Briquette Shops open in Goma - 6 more by end Nov”
Welcome back, Virginia! I loved the marketing strategy for the briquettes. It’s wonderful to see the program doing so well. I wish all involved in the program much growth and continued success!
Hey Virginia! I am sure Goma/DRC is so glad to have you back! Well done with setting up the shop and good luck implementing this all…you and the team can do it…you always do!
Oh I am so headed to Care2 with this…Thanks Virginia…glad you are back!!!!!!!!
Big Gorilly Hugs…Gorilly Girl
If you wanna see what folks are saying right now on this go through this link…
http://www.care2.com/news/member/441464023/1301939
Big Gorilly Hugs and I am soooooooo excited about this…
Seeing briquettes go head-to-head with charcoal is a dream come true. Fantastic effort!
Thank you Guys. It feels really good to be back. Everyone in the program has been absolutely amazing, I am so blessed to be working with Balemba and Jean Bosco on the ground. See you next week for another post!
great job, Virginia, keep on keepin on, blessings to all your efforts, n hugs to G Girl!
Brilliant.
Congratulations on getting the briquettes in the shops! It’s been amazing to watch this program evolve. Excellent work.