In a bid to save the Kireita Forest, a youth group in Lari Sub Location has started making charcoal briquettes from cow dung as an alternative to firewood and charcoal.
Jipange Youth Group chairman, James Mwangi, says that the group, consisting of 15 members and whose aim is to create environmental conservation awareness, has ventured into mass production of charcoal briquettes that they sell to area residents as cheap fuel.
Mwangi said that raw materials for production of this charcoal is discarded charcoal powder which is mixed with the cow dung and water, the resulting dough is shaped by hand into fist size balls and later dried in the sun.
When dry, the charcoal is ready to be used as fuel.
Mwangi added that the briquette production has created employment for the group members and this has helped them to start other projects like farming and rearing domestic animals for commercial purposes.
Charity Githinji, the sub county youth officer while speaking in her office said that she encouraged youths to start projects that would keep them from indulging in drugs and substance abuse; he noted that youths are most venerable to drugs.
She said that this charcoal will reduce deaths caused by respiratory diseases by using charcoal from wood, terming the project as environmental friendly.
Pauline Wambui, a resident and a beneficiary of the briquettes, revealed that this project had helped her home concentrate on her other duties on the farm since he does not have to go for firewood in the forest.