Rwanda Energy Group (REG), in partnership with its stakeholders, Thursday carried out an awareness campaign in Burera District about safe and effective cooking using modern stoves.

The event took place in Kinyababa sector and brought together REG staff, energy companies, local leaders and residents.

The cooking facilities are designed to burn charcoal in an environmentally sensitive, cost-effective, and efficient way. It is easy to use and enables people to prepare meals quickly using familiar cooking methods.

Burera residents sensitised on environmentally-friendly stoves.Frederic Byumvuhore

Currently, 72 per cent of Rwandans still use firewood for cooking but, by 2024, REG targets to have reduced the figure to 42 per cent.

According to Eng. Oreste Niyonsaba, the Manager for Social Energies at REG, the number of people who use modern stoves is still low which threatens environment conservation.

"In order to ensure the protection of the environment, we are encouraging the public to embrace the use of modern cooking gas and stoves,” Niyonsaba said.

Each stove costs Rwf15,000 that can be paid in instalments.

He noted that if the public continues to cut trees for firewood, the country risks desertification and that’s why the public should be aware of the consequences and embrace the safe cooking system.

A resident of Kinyababa Sector, Jean de Dieu Nsigayehe, said: "I did not know about the stoves, but the system very efficient despite the high cost. The stoves save fuel compared to the common cooking methods”.

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