Description
Project Name: Schools
Project owner: POWA
Standard: Verra VCS
Project ID: 2616
The project consists in locally-manufacturing improved cookstoves for Burundi’s schools and switching from non-renewable logged trees to a sustainable energy supply: briquettes made of renewable biomass.
Between 1990 and 2010, Burundi (a landlocked country classified as a Least Developped Country) lost 40.5% of its forest cover. In parallel, the annual available amount of renewable biomass, which is not used, is more than 1.3m tonnes / year.
Currently, in most schools kitchens consists essentially of using an open fire system (3-stone), and traditional stoves. These stoves are notoriously wasteful with an efficiency level of 10-15%, and they produce harmful smokes.
It is difficult for parents to provide the 2kg of fuelwood per day and per schoolchild needed for the canteen. Thanks to the project, children livng in deforested area are no longer afraid to go to school because they do not have cooking wood. The attendance rate rose from 75-85% to 98%.
BQS has more than 15 years of experience and is operating 5 successful carbon programs, employing 175 staff and generating $2m of turnover (2021). Their production facility is located in Bujumbura. The site stretchs across 6 hectares and features 3 lines of production for the stoves. A fleet of 14 vehicles is dedicated to supply & deliveries.
Impact
Between 1990 and 2010, Burundi lost 40% of its forest due to deforestation.
The project avoids 100 ha of deforestation per year.
Traditional stoves produce harmful smokes.
The project reduces indoor air pollution and related risk to respiratory diseases.
It is difficult for parents to provide the 2kg of fuelwood per day and per schoolchild needed for the canteen.
Thanks to the biomass briquettes, the parents don’t need to provide any fuelwood.
Children living in deforested area are no longer afraid to go to school because they do not have cooking wood.
The attendance rate rose from 75-85% to 98%.
CSR Action
BQS is a labor intensive NGO providing jobs to 350 people. Each employee follows a four weeks annual trainee program.
BQS started a tree nursery to seed trees for replanting. To date, 300 hectares have been replanted.
BQS invests in the «energy efficiency restaurants program » for wich efficient stoves are installed in restaurants thus reducing budget for energy spending.
