Multifunctional Community Centre for Renewable Energy in Beira, Mozambique
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, and the Municipal Council of Beira (CMB) on April launched the Multifunctional Community Centre for Renewables Energy Project in the slum of Munhava, around the city of Beira in Mozambique. The aim is to achieve renewable energy projects in the informal settlement of Munhava, around the second largest city in Mozambique.
The USD 158,000 project that began in 2011 was a result of co-funding from the German foundation BASF STIFTUNG and support of the Local Agency for Economic Development of Sofala (ADEL Sofala).
The Community Centre is a place of new experimentations, production and use of various forms of renewable energy, and it starts with full operation of the biogas system from human waste, production of briquettes and solar energy and will support the local economic development and urban resilience.
The project intends that the Munhava slum’s inhabitants have access to clean energy, better sanitation, clean water and at the same time to provide opportunities to young people and women to learn, exchange experiences and create local initiatives linked to the development of their communities, as a contribution to strengthening community organization.
The Centre will be managed by a local association made up of community members, mostly young people and women who are presently being trained on issues related to renewable energy production, environment, small business management and accounting, led by ADEL Sofala in coordination with the local community.
Inserted in an informal area and next to a small informal market, the Centre has a community kitchen, a meeting and events room, playground, tanks for supply of drinking water and public toilets connected to biogas system and will benefit about 500 families of Munhava and surroundings.
The UN-Habitat involvement in Beira and other cities of the country is focuses mainly in four strategic pillars: economic growth, urban governance and management, resilient urban development and housing.
Other activities at the Multifunctional Community Centre for Renewable Energy in Beira
The Multifunctional Community Centre for Renewable Energy has recently introduced two other activities, the ethanol and briquettes production for cooking from organic waste collected by City Council’s garbage trucks from Beira’s inhabitants.
The perspective is, according to the plan of the center, by the end of July, to endow the center with renewable energy services, providing mobile phone battery charging and lighting from solar panel systems, and improved charcoal and firewood-saving cook stoves, among others.
The community center, which will work on site, will also use renewable energy, namely a stove with gas produced from a biodigester (biogas), ethanol and charcoal briquettes produced from organic waste.
For more detailed information on these and other activities for the promotion of renewable energy in Mozambique check ALER's national status report.
Images ONU-Habitat /ADEL Sofala