adminFungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau
Chitsungo Mission Hospital in Mbire District, which is the major consumer of firewood in the area, recently received a biogas digester worth $13 000 from Carbon Green Africa (CGA).
Before the donation, the hospital that is a referral centre for 13 clinics in the district, required 30 x 3 tonne truck loads of firewood per year to cater for about 100 patients daily.
The hospital’s administrator Mr Wellington Makuvatsine said the biogas digester produces over 5 000kg of gas every month, which is enough to meet the hospital’s cooking energy needs.
“Prior to construction of the biogas, we used firewood as an alternative during load shedding,” he said.
“The costs for firewood were $2 000, but now biogas is our prime source of energy for cooking, even when electricity is available.
“Cow dung, which is the raw material for the biogas digester, is in abundance in this area. We are now adding value to dung and those who provide dung to the hospital will get rewards.
“The slurry from the digester is processed into manure that we sell to ARDA farm.
“Currently, they get processed dung from Harare, but we will be able to supply them. It’s a win-win situation.
“For the past three years, we have been planning to buy a biogas digester, but we did not have the money. We encourage sister institution in areas where there is dung to invest in a digester because it has a lot of benefits.”
Carbon Green Africa managing director Mr Charles Ndondo said it took five weeks to construct the digester and the hospital assisted with locally available building materials and labour.
“Our aim is to reduce land degradation and deforestation,” he said.
“We are also helping the country by reducing demand for electricity because the hospital is now relying on the biogas digester.
“The hospital will also be able to use the money meant for electricity for other purposes.”
Councillor for Ward 10 Mr San Makuverere said he was positive that their lives will change for the better through preserving forests.
Online Reporter