Kyanukuzi Community Development Organization

KCDO (Kyanukuzi Community Development Organization) operates in Southern Uganda, focusing on community empowerment through education, resource access, and sustainable development. They manage several facilities, including an orphanage and two schools, and aim to boost self-reliance and wellbeing in the Lwengo District.

In the Lwengo community, and across Uganda, firewood and charcoal are still the primary energy sources for cooking. This reliance drives deforestation, unsustainable harvesting practices, and worsens energy and food insecurity. Additionally, indoor air pollution from traditional stoves contributes to health issues and climate-related problems like droughts and floods.

The Project ‘Biodigester at Lwengo community in Uganda” initiated from the request of KCDO), for finding an clean and reliable alternative to the firewood cooking stoves used for the preparation of meals for the students and staff at the centre. KCDO previously implemented initiatives, like waste management, improved cooking stoves, and introduction of briquettes, and requested EWB-NL to support for a feasible and reliable solution.

The project’s main goal is to introduce a clean and reliable alternative to the firewood cooking stoves used for the preparation of meals for the students and staff at three KCDO-linked locations: the orphan center, St. Paul Kyanukuzi Secondary School, and Godronah Primary School.

The solution proposed by EWB relies on installing biodigesters and efficient cookstoves at these locations, according to available organic feedstock and energy demand per location. This will enable daily meal preparation throughout the school year, cover energy needs for up to 100 people on busy days, and strengthen community resilience.

Initially, EWB will focus on the KCDO orphan centre where we will build a pilot digester that will work as a proof of concept and to teach the community how the biodigestor works.

EWB‑NL is designing and implementing an integrated biogas system tailored to local needs at KCDO Orphan center. For the other 2 locations, EWB proposes the installation of clean cooking stoves due to lack of available feedstack to meet the required energy demand. Focusing on the installation of a biodigester at KCDO Orphan center, EWB supported by:

• Conducting on-site feasibility assessments — factoring in infrastructure and feedstock availability.

• Designing biodigesters sized for daily biogas output to cover cooking needs.
  Projecting a plan for a fixed-dome/gas  biodigester system and assessing all required equipment and resources for installation and operation of the system

• Integrating waste management by reusing digestate as fertilizer, enhancing circularity and sustainable agriculture, and allowing to minimize the utilization of chemical fertilizers by the KCDO population.

• Funding: To cover costs of biodigester units, installation and maintenance

• Monitoring: a proper operation of the biodigester is required for long-term utilization and benefit for the KCDO population

• Technical Support & Training: For community members and KCDO staff to operate and maintain the systems.