Anglican Youths in Malawi Tackle Climate Change and Unemployment with Briquette Charcoal Project
In addition to giving young people a job, this lessens the need to cut down trees for firewood and charcoal, preventing the degradation of the land.
Malawi: Climate change is having an impact on many areas of Malawi, especially because it is getting harder to find firewood and charcoal as a result of careless tree cutting, writes Ivy Chirwa.
The government is urging people to use more environmentally friendly alternatives, such as briquette, which is simple to obtain and can help keep the environment clean.
Under the direction of Rev. Samuel Dewa, Anglican youth in Malomo, Ntchisi district, have started a project to make briquettes out of groundnut shells and leftover maize in an effort to combat these problems.
In addition to giving young people a job, this lessens the need to cut down trees for firewood and charcoal, preventing the degradation of the land.
"In addition to giving young people a job, this lessens the need to cut down trees for firewood and charcoal, preventing the degradation of the land," said Alex Yapola, the chair of the Anglican youth.
Church leader McDonald Mwale urged the youths to take care of the equipment purchased by Rev. Samuel Dewa, who oversees the youth ministry at St. Paul's Parish in Malomo and hosts 160 youths from various districts each year in order to instill responsibility in them both in the church and in the community.
One of the beneficiaries, Mishek Buwa, the youth secretary of St. Paul's Parish, said, "I am excited about the project and the youths' willingness to educate the community about the benefits of briquettes."