Better Energy, Better Schools, Better Life in Karamoja
Daniel Wolf, Founder and CEOLast year, Lifeline began implementing a WFP-sponsored project involving the installation of fuel-saving institutional stoves in 63 primary and secondary schools in Uganda’s Karamoja region.
The need for these stoves could hardly be greater. The region is very arid and very poor. During my last mission to Uganda, I visited several schools that had been spending nearly 5% of their budget on firewood. Others couldn’t afford it and so the students had to collect their own firewood and bring it with them. That means about five hours of hard labor per week – foraging for wood in the bush, where they face risks like snake bite, physical abuse and even kidnapping.
But our stoves have been a game changer. School administrators in Moroti and Kbongo told me that they have cut wood use by over 60%. Cooks relayed how much better their lives were now that they could work in a smoke-free environment. Meals are being cooked a lot faster and classes are able to proceed on a much more regular schedule.
The stoves that our team has designed are best in class and, as you can see from the images below, the workmanship is first rate. We’ve come a long way and I couldn’t be more proud of our team and the impact they are making!
