sanga's solution

Summary

Sangha Moses, born in a Ugandan village, became its first college graduate and an accountant. Witnessing his sister's struggle to collect firewood and missing school, he quit his job to find a solution. Sangha discovered that sugarcane husks could be turned into charcoal, creating an affordable, less polluting fuel. His innovation not only helped his sister but also benefited Ugandan girls, farmers, and women, and contributed to forest conservation.

Takeaways

• 🎓 **Educational Background**: Sangha Moses was the first college graduate in his village and became an accountant in Kampala.
• 🏡 **Village Life**: Sangha's village lacked electricity, and villagers, especially girls, had to collect firewood for cooking and heating.
• 👧 **Impact on Education**: Sangha's sister had to miss school to collect firewood, which was a common issue affecting many girls.
• 🚫 **Environmental Concern**: Deforestation was a problem as villagers had to travel further to find firewood.
• 💡 **Innovative Solution**: Sangha decided to find an alternative fuel source to help his sister and others stay in school.
• 🏦 **Sacrifice**: Sangha quit his job and sold his possessions to fund the development of his solution.
• 📚 **Academic Assistance**: A university professor and students helped Sangha with his project after he shared his problem.
• 🌿 **Resource Utilization**: Uganda's abundant sugarcane husks were identified as a potential fuel source.
• 🔥 **Kiln Innovation**: Sangha and the students designed a kiln to turn sugarcane husks into charcoal, which was then formed into fuel blocks.
• 🌱 **Environmental Impact**: The new fuel was more sustainable, less polluting, and burned longer than wood.
• 🌎 **Broader Impact**: Sangha's solution benefited not only his sister but also girls across Uganda, local farmers, and women entrepreneurs, and helped preserve Uganda's forests.

Q & A

Who is Sangha Moses?

Sangha Moses is a person from a small village in Uganda who became the first college graduate in his village and later an accountant in Kampala.

What was the problem Sangha Moses noticed on his way home from Kampala?

Sangha noticed his 12-year-old sister carrying a heavy bundle of firewood on her head, which was causing her to miss school twice a week.

Why did the people in Sangha's village have to collect firewood?

There was no electricity in Sangha's village, so firewood was necessary for heating and cooking.

What was the consequence of the increasing distance to collect firewood?

As more trees were cut down, people had to travel farther to collect firewood, which was tiring and affected school attendance.

Why couldn't Sangha's sister live with him in Kampala?

Sangha's sister couldn't live with him because her help was needed at home for cooking, and their mother was too old to collect firewood herself.

What did Sangha do to find a solution to the firewood problem?

Sangha quit his job as an accountant to have time to find a solution and sought help from his university professor.

What was the solution Sangha found to the firewood problem?

Sangha found that sugarcane husks, which were abundant and unused in Uganda, could be used as fuel. He designed a kiln to turn the husks into charcoal blocks.

How did the kiln work?

The kiln was a special oven that burned down sugarcane husks into charcoal, which was then made into blocks of fuel.

What were the benefits of the fuel made from sugarcane husks?

The fuel was affordable, created less pollution, and burned longer than wood.

How did Sangha's solution impact the community?

Sangha's solution helped girls stay in school, allowed local farmers to make money, and gave women the opportunity to start their own businesses.

What is the broader environmental impact of Sangha's solution?

Sangha's solution is helping to save Uganda's forests by providing an alternative to firewood.