Schools Embrace LPG, Firewood Takes a Back Seat
By Mwakwaya Raymond
Emai, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
Boarding schools across the country are embracing the use of smokeless cooking through LPG method in lieu of the previous firewood cooking.
According to a section of LPG suppliers about 30 per cent of the Kenyan schools have migrated from firewood to the usage of cooking gas.
Kenya Commercial Bank foundation head Caroline Wanyeri whose docket is facilitating the migration through giving grants to schools for LPG installation system said a number of schools have shown interest in changing their usage of firewood to gas.
According to her the foundation is partnering with KSSHA to offer grants to schools so as to migrate to LPG usage.
Speaking at the headteachers’ conference in Mombasa on June 27, the foundation head said already they have pumped Sh30 million towards the migration to LPG gas and intends to release Sh35 million more this year.
She added that the plan was to cover all schools by giving them grants to quit use of firewood in the LPG gas migration program.
Environmentalists recommend the usage of LGP gas saying it is cheaper and friendly compared to firewood which was a threat to forest cover and climate change.
The use of LPG also reduces the emission of carbon to the atmosphere in contrast to the usage of firewood which generated more emission of the same.
Pius Mwangi, team leader Valley Safe Energy, said schools use a lot of tones of firewood and emitted a lot of carbon gas which was harmful to mankind.
According to him the LPG gas offered an alternative way of combating such situations through the use of clean energy.
He added that so many employees in schools have been diagnosed with eye and chest problems due to the rampant use of smoky firewood.
According to him such problems would be a thing of the past once schools embrace the use of LPG gas.
He said his company has started the installation of LPG gas system in various schools across the country.
At the moment they are offering free lessons to those who want to venture into the use of LPG gas program.
The government has been calling on its citizens to embrace the planting of tree so as to attain the required forest cover.
Several institutions have taken up the challenge positively and are currently implementing it at their schools’ backyards.
