As far as impact is concerned, for every 1000 households, we partner with 40 affiliates most of whom are female charcoal vendors that we expose to training so as to educate them about the environmental benefits of our products. This also gives us a chance to create employment opportunities. Because Uganda has a total of 34 million households and 7 million of these live in the urban space we have a chance to create a total of approximately 80,000 jobs for an emerging economy like Uganda. We are also training the youth to learn how to make char dust which they can supply to us as a raw material thus availing a definite and stable source of income alongside a cleaner environment.
The sustainable development benefits of BrickeT are expansive. BrickeT's improved effectiveness and efficiency of the charcoal value chain will result in a significant decrease in deforestation in Uganda. This will result in environmental benefits such as improved soil conditions and improved waterway conditions from decreased runoff. We lose 10 trees per hour as a country per hour to unsustainable charcoal production.
When forests are cleared or burnt, stored carbon is released into the atmosphere, mainly as carbon dioxide. Averaged over 2015 – 2017, global loss of tropical forests contributed about 4.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year (or about 8-10% of annual human emissions of carbon dioxide) (WRI 2018). Protecting natural ecosystems and sustainably managing and re-establishing forests are important ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow down temperature rise in the short term by drawing down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. BrickeT is reducing carbon emissions by 22% in a bid to mitigate and adapt to climate change and transit to a low-carbon climate-resilient economy of Uganda through reducing demand for forestry resources
In line with Sustainable Goal seven; Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. BrickeT is increasing the proportion of Uganda's population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technology to ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services. Having the briquettes as the primary source of energy for cooking reduces household expenditure on Charcoal which is 34% to (10-15)%. This means that households have more disposable income to meet other basic needs such as education, food and amenities.
Inline with Sustainable Goal Thirteen; BrickeT seeks to improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning through strengthening of institutional, systemic and individual capacity-building to implement adaptation, mitigation and technology transfer, and development actions. Especially brought through our training to vendors and riders.
Further benefits are improved forest health, decreased air pollution as improved kilns can significantly reduce air pollution as the smoke produced is partly burned off during the carbonisation process and decreased greenhouse gas emissions.
Economically, BrickeT solution will result in fairer payment for charcoal Vendors and increased tax revenue for the district and job creation.In our survey we noticed that the current charcoal vendors are mainly women who earning very little earnings from the business because the government had levied a tax on charcoal traders which affected their profits. Them partnering with us is an opportunity to increase their earnings by 40%. This also guarantees them steady income flows as opposed to the poor quality charcoal supplier by unanimous sellers.
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