CRED helping to progress eco-projects in Uganda

Sustainable living is one of those phrases that has been gradually making its way into conversations, debates, and discussions for several years now, but not in a particularly mainstream way. However, as people and governments recognize more and more the reality of climate change, and the need to take action now, it is something that will have to become more centre stage.

There are all sorts of ways to move towards living more sustainably – and I’m not going to wander down that train of thought now. But what I do want to share is three examples that I have seen here in Uganda of projects that our CRED partner, John Njendahayo of the Nkiru-Nzuzu Foundation, is experimenting with, and putting into action, in ways that demonstrate to ordinary people how they can live more sustainably.

And what makes them even more special is that CRED and its team members have enabled each of the three examples in some way over the past few years.

Firstly the solar panel on the roof of the microfinance office, which is attached to the home of John’s dad. Just a little panel compared to the roof-fulls that we see on homes in the UK, but thanks to the strength of the sun, and the very small amount of electric gadgets in the office and home (fridge, water pump, laptops, lights), it is more than sufficient to meet all their needs, and have plenty of power to spare.

So the office could be developed to become a place where evening classes can take place for the community, and where there can be access to computers, and phone charging stations – all small income generation opportunities that can feed more money into the microfinance project

The solar panel was funded by CRED, and it is lovely to see how it is providing a really valuable resource for the community, as well as demonstrating to others a clean and renewable form of energy.

note the little solar panel on the roof - little in size, but powering so much!

The second example is the rainwater harvesting that is taking place at the Maya medical clinic. The CRED contribution here is more one of person-power than funding, although CRED funds did help finish it off. But back in November 2014 some members of a CRED team spent a couple of days digging a big hole.

I must point out that the hole had been started by a team from St David’s school in Wales, so CRED certainly can’t take all the credit here, but we did do some of the digging, and as a result a 70,000 litre water tank is now sitting happily in the hole, all plumbed and catching water from the roof of the clinic.

The spare water will be sold to local people at a very reasonable price (200 Shillings / jerrycan), which is also a rate significantly lower than private borehole owners are charging (1,000 shillings / jerrycan), and as a result clean water will be much more accessible to all.

Any overflow can feed into the surrounding land to irrigate the vegetable patch and so help grow good nutritious crops for the local people.

And of course the whole concept of rainwater harvesting is being demonstrated in a simple way, that people can understand, and can then take home and try for themselves, with the help of some guttering, a tank, and a hole (although the hole isn’t a prerequisite!).

not easy to show an underwater tank - but believe me - there's one underneath those man-hole covers!

The final example is still to be trialled, but CRED money is funding the experiment. Biogas and the building of digesters is something John is very involved in, and passionate about. He has built several units in different locations – for private homes, schools, hotels and orphanages, and so he has a lot of knowledge and experience on how they work.

But always the missing piece has been how to make them cheaply enough for everyday folk to be able to afford them. And now, thanks to a random discovery, he might have found the answer. It’s all to do with cow-dung that was lining a hole, and found not to be disintegrating or biodegrading.

I’ll say no more at this stage – let’s wait and see if the experiment goes the way it is expected to go. But if it does – and the scientists and engineers who have been asked, as well as John of course, think it will – then biogas digesters could become a whole lot cheaper and consequently accessible to a whole load more families.

For them gone will be the search for firewood, and the time spent gathering it, gone will be the expense of charcoal, gone will be the health hazard of cooking over a smoky stove, gone will be all the danger to girls of having to be out searching for firewood in remote places – welcome to the new world of clean, eco-friendly, health-friendly, time-friendly fuel. And CRED will have helped make it happen.

Thank you, to all team members and supporters of CRED who have helped raise the funds and the person-power to make these things happen. And thank you to John who tirelessly pursues his dream and passion of making sustainable living accessible to all.