Gender ministry staff wooed into eco-friendly cooking

PIC:  Rose Twine flanked by minister of state for gender and culture Madame Mutuuzo Peace addressing the ministry staff. Photos/ Billy Rwothungeyo

Majority of Ugandans use either firewood or charcoal as energy for cooking. Besides being very inefficient sources of energy, these forms of energy are not environmental friendly as trees have to be felled down.

One of the biggest crusaders of clean energy use in Uganda in the recent past is Rose Twine—the co-founder of eco-stoves. Recently, she took her "gospel" to the ministry of gender and social development.

The eco-stoves come in different sizes

 
This energy source has an oven that uses a type of volcanic rock together with solar power to act as the fuel for your cooking needs.

The stove features an in-built internal air system that aids the heating up of the volcanic rocks. When heated, these rocks turn bright red.  Attached to the unit is a 30-watt solar panel.

"The solar aids the burning and increases the efficiency of the stove. Most of our cooking stoves are not efficient. Apart from cooking, this stove can charge your phone, has an FM radio and MP3 player," she explained.

The whole unit costs sh900, 000 in one lump sum payment.  Lillian Zine, a ministry employee was on hand to share her experience of using the clean energy source.

 "I have used my eco-stove for three years. I used to spend sh120, 000 a month but now I can spend only sh30, 000 a month on cooking bills."

The eco-stove can be used to charge a mobile phone and provide lighting