By Monica Tambala
Lilongwe,Mana: In a bid to promote the switch from charcoal to gas cooking, Community Energy Malawi (CEM), a Malawian organization that implements renewable energy projects conducted a gas cooking demonstration in Nsungwi, Area 25 in Lilongwe where 10 people went away with free gas cookers and 50 T-shirts.
Advocacy and Communications Officer for CEM, Wonderful Mkhutche said the organization was set to distribute 600 chitetezo mbaula’s and 1,700 gas cookers to beneficiaries in Zomba and Lilongwe this February.
“Presently, we are finalizing enumeration of the beneficiaries and soon after that we will roll out the distribution where we will also provide end-user training to the beneficiaries,
We gave away 10 gas cookers and 50 T-shirts to people who were actively participating during our gas cooking demonstrations in Area 25, Nsungwi,” he said.
Mkhutche added that public awareness activities that are undertaken by the organization have helped them address some wrong perceptions that people have towards using gas for cooking.
“Some say that gas is expensive, scarce and dangerous but all these are not true. Gas is now more affordable than charcoal and companies like 265 Energy deliver gas to customer’s homes. We will also provide end-user training to all beneficiaries,” he said.
The demonstration was part of the activities inside their ‘Phikani Moganizira Chilengedwe’ project which the organization is implementing in Lilongwe and Zomba with support from the Government and People of Japan through Government of Malawi and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to the tune of US$ 342.
An Area 25 Resident, Ida Mlenga who won a gas cooker expressed her joy to have won and ensured her switch from using charcoal for cooking to the use of gas.
She hailed CEM for their initiative to sensitize communities on the importance of using gas for cooking which helps save the environment in many ways.
Recently, the organization, in collaboration with 265 Energy LTD conducted a gas cooking demonstration in Zomba Central Market where 10 lucky winners went away with 3kg gas cylinder cookers and T-shirts.
