Briquettes producer raising funds to boost production
Energy 4 Impact, through its "Crowd Power", programme is supporting a Kenyan briquettes producer to raise funds to enhance production.
Eco-Charcoal, a Kenyan firm producing sustainable eco-charcoal briquettes is raising funds through Kenya’s premier mobile phone fundraising platform M-Changa to boost its production capacity.
The business has so far raised over $ 4,700 (469,920 Kenya Shillings) out of its $ 15,000 target (1,500,380 Kenya Shillings) to address the energy gap required for their briquette production.
Formerly known as Kasigau Tree Farm project, Eco-Charcoal runs an innovative ecosystem conservation and climate change mitigation programme in Kasigau, between Tsavo East and West National Parks in the Kenyan Coast region. Their briquettes are made from pruned tree branches.
The campaign, which was launched in October 2016, is being supported by Energy 4 Impact. In collaboration with the UK Department for International Development (DFID), Energy 4 Impact will match Eco-Charcoal's fundraised capital up to $30,000 (3 million Kenya Shillings).
The Director of Eco-charcoal Limited Ian Nyiro Pesa says the enterprise plans to progressively scale-up its production capacity from 500 kilogrammes per month up to 15 tonnes per month in 2020.
The money raised will be used to purchase equipment and machinery, conduct intensive market research studies and marketing activities. It will also be utilised to raise awareness and run capacity-building workshops on Climate change for the local population.
We anticipate increasing direct and indirect employment, especially for women in Kasigau area where we are located and to create a tree farm business model practise in Kenya and East Africa,
- says Ian.
The rising demand for energy due to population growth and urbanisation creates an urgent need to provide eco-charcoal and biomass briquettes as a viable cost-effective substitute to firewood and charcoal and meet the fuel consumption needs in Kenya. This is what we aim to achieve through the crowdfunding campaign
- says Beatrice Despioch, the Co-Founder.
Eco-charcoal has been receiving support from the Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC), a partnership providing incubation, capacity building and financing services to Kenyan entrepreneurs that are developing innovative solutions in the energy, water and agribusiness sector, to address climate change challenges. Energy 4 Impact, one of the KCIC’s partners, has been providing them with business advisory services ranging from financial advice, marketing training, business linkages to organisational development among others.
To find more about this campaign and to extend support like Eco-Charcoal’s Facebook page: Eco-charcoal Limited and follow them on Twitter: @ecocharcoal_ke
Click here for the Eco-Charcoal fundraising page on M-Changa.