Green Tech Company Limited, an
environmental solution provider in The Gambia recently held a daylong
validation workshop on the introduction of fuel briquettes to schools, at Abuko
Upper Basic School.
The first series to introduce groundnut shell briquettes as an alternative fuel for cooking and heating purposes has been implemented successfully in twenty (20) schools in December 2012 and January 2013, through the collaborative partnership of the School Agriculture Unit, under the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and Green-Tech.
The workshop, which was carried out in a form of presentations, drama performances and speeches, by dignitaries and invited participants, saw presentation of awards to three winning students out of all 20 visited schools.
As part of awareness creation on the importance of environmental protection, using GreenTech’s alternative fuel briquettes for cooking and heating, Wellingara and New Jeswang Lower Basic Schools drama clubs participated in the environmental school drama and were awarded with certificates.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Gibbril Barry, the Principal Education Officer of the School Agriculture Unit, stated that his ministry has a cross cutting and mainstreaming policy directions towards the environment.
Barry used the opportunity to thank Green Tech Company for introducing briquettes in schools, adding that introducing briquettes in school is a very good initiative.
He told the gathering that MoBSE and Green Tech have signed Memorandum of Understanding to make work easy for both parties.
Lenja Guenther, the Project Coordinator for Green Tech said they work in line with national and international strategies.
“We must not wait for funds or projects to change our habits, because it is a loss of financial savings and natural resources and climate change mitigation is a race against time; therefore actions need to be taken by all stakeholders.”
“Since then Green Tech has been striving hard for the past months to raise awareness on the need to protect forest resources and the option of groundnut shell briquettes as an alternative fuel for cooking and heating purposes,” he stated.
Meanwhile, as part of the campaign, a poster competition was held at the respective schools and the winning posters are exhibited at Green Tech plant at Kololi behind the Tourism Security Unit.
Alhagie Muhamed Suso Sora, a member of Green Tech’s awareness raising team, did a presentation on the demonstration of pre-testing on the usage of stove and briquettes provided by Green Tech.
