The World Inspiring Network (WIN) has organised a two-day training workshop for 15 young people in the Greater Accra Region to equip them with skills in converting coconut waste into charcoal briquettes.This initiative, dubbed EcoFlames, aims to promote clean energy, reduce waste, and create green jobs by addressing three key challenges facing the city: mounting coconut waste, youth unemployment, and the reliance on harmful cooking fuels.The workshop was a collaborative effort with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the International Trade Centre's Ye!
Community, and EBApreneur Solutions Limited.Participants at the workshop were taken through waste collection, segregation, carbonisation, manual and mechanised briquette production, and the environmental and health benefits of clean energy.They also engaged in hands-on sessions to prepare them for both small-scale and large-scale production.Speaking on the sidelines , the Executive Director of World Inspiring Network, Maxwell Odonkor, said the EcoFlames Initiative was designed to empower young people to turn coconut husks and shells into clean-burning briquettes while starting sustainable businesses.He explained that over 80 percent of households in Accra depended on firewood and traditional charcoal for cooking, which continued to damage the environment and expose users to health risks such as cardiovascular diseases.Mr Odonkor added that Accra alone generated an estimated 151 tonnes of coconut waste daily, much of which ended up in open drains or landfill sites.He said converting this waste into briquettes would not only improve sanitation but also provide affordable alternatives to traditional fuels.He noted that the next phase of the project would involve campaigns in markets and schools to educate women, students and food vendors on the benefits of switching to clean energy.According to him, plans are also underway to host the Green Action Summit, which is expected to bring together over 200 young people to explore innovative climate solutions.The Project Lead for EcoFlames and Executive Secretary of WIN, Thelma Naroog Bamanteeh, said the training was intentionally designed to be practical so that participants could immediately apply the knowledge and skills acquired.She explained that the initiative was addressing two problems at once: reducing deforestation caused by cutting trees for charcoal and tackling improper disposal of coconut waste in the city.According to her, the NGO had plans to set up a demonstration site but the high cost of equipment remained a challenge.She therefore appealed to the government to partner with suppliers to reduce the cost of production machines so that more young people and organisations could venture into the sector.Ms.
Bamanteeh maintained that in the long run, the project would not only create green jobs but also improve public health, protect the environment and help Ghana meet its climate action goals.Background:Under Phase Two in Accra, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly selected 20 youth-led projects from 59 applications.The chosen teams received microgrants from a total budget of $100,000 to implement their projects over a six-month period.Most of the groups have already received their funding and started work on initiatives in waste management, clean energy, urban greening and public education, with WIN's EcoFlames Initiative among them.By: Jacob Aggre
