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JTI moves to save Malawi’s forests

JTI moves to save Malawi’s forests

At Mtsiriza, a high-density township on the outskirts of Malawi’s administrative capital, Lilongwe, JTI has partnered with a group of women to help save the country’s endangered forests.

Their idea? Using waste paper collected from JTI to make fire briquettes. The briquettes are used for cooking meals for needy children at the Mtsiriza Hope Centre. At least 1000 children come to the centre for two meals every day. Until now, the women at Mtsiriza Hope Centre were using firewood, which they admit has become scarce and expensive.

In a country where forests are fast disappearing, the initiative at Mtsiriza is a modest step in the fight against deforestation. Malawi is witnessing one of Southern Africa’s highest rates of deforestation, according to the United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). It estimates that more than 90 percent of households depend on firewood for cooking, further fuelling the raging fire of deforestation. Lilongwe is one of the seven districts in Malawi with the highest firewood deficits.

The women at Mtsiriza had run out of fuel wood options. Struck by this dilemma, they approached us with the idea to recycle JTI’s waste paper into briquettes as a substitute to wood.

It is really amazing how what we expected to be waste paper - destined for the dump - is turning out to be an important source of energy for feeding needy children, giving them the much-needed energy to face the world as it comes each day.
Stella Masangano, JTI Corporate Affairs Manager, Malawi

The idea struck a chord with us, as we already have a reforestation program that aims to protect the environment in farming communities. Our program has seen million of trees planted in Malawi and Tanzania. Corporate Affairs Manager Stella Masangano said the initative is an important part of JTI’s quest for environmental sustainability.

“It is a positive step towards reducing our carbon footprint and our impact on the environment. At the other end, it also addresses a real social problem in that needy children are getting their meals."

Esther Mbewe, a matron at the feeding center said it produces 2,500 briquettes every week. She said the briquettes are packaged in cartons of 50 pieces each and go towards cooking maize flour or rice porridge twice a day.

Excess briquettes are sold at K350 (US$1) per carton, and the income goes back to the centre.

“We only sell when we’ve excess briquettes, otherwise the bulk of them goes into the fire,” said Mbewe.

Stella Masangano concludes: “It is really amazing how what we expected to be waste paper – destined for the dump – is turning out to be an important source of energy for feeding needy children, giving them the much-needed energy to face the world as it comes each day.”