Kibondo District Prison has started using alternative charcoal made from a mixture of tree bark and soil, produced locally within the prison, as part of the Government’s clean cooking energy initiative.
The move was observed during a recent inspection by officials from the Ministry of Energy, who visited the prison to monitor the implementation of the clean cooking energy strategy in public institutions nationwide.
Kibondo Prison Warden, Mr. Peter Shabani, said the facility embraced the Government directive as an opportunity to innovate, become self-reliant, and reduce costs while protecting health and the environment.
“Following the Government’s directive on clean cooking energy, we saw this as a chance to innovate. With support from our staff and collaboration with inmates, we created our own energy solution using locally available materials, reducing the need to import energy,” Mr. Shabani said.
He explained that the alternative charcoal is a product of inmate rehabilitation programs and is currently used within the prison due to limited modern production equipment.
Mr. Masumbuko Noha, an expert from the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), commended the initiative and emphasized the need to adhere to national quality and safety standards should the prison expand production for commercial purposes.
“This is a valuable innovation, but it is important to ensure the product meets TBS standards before it is sold for public use,” Mr. Noha said.
Similarly, Mr. Omary Khalifa from the Ministry of Energy described the initiative as a strong example of implementing national energy policy and encouraged the prison to develop it further as an economic opportunity and model for other institutions.
“This initiative can inspire other institutions to adopt alternative energy solutions, protecting both the environment and public health,” Mr. Khalifa noted.