The Freetown City Council (FCC) has conducted a field visit to households in Congo Town participating in a pilot project on clean cooking briquettes.
The visit, held on 28 May 2026, was led by Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr alongside Councillors Unisa Kamara and Samuel Kamara, FCC staff, CODOHSAPA, and representatives from Sierra Eco Heat.
The initiative introduces waste-to-energy briquettes as an alternative to charcoal and firewood for household cooking. The briquettes are produced by Sierra Eco Heat at the FCC Kingtom Waste Water Treatment Plant.
The project forms part of broader efforts to promote youth-led climate innovation and expand access to sustainable energy solutions. It is also supported through a city-to-city collaboration programme with the City of Mannheim and Engagement Global, under the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
According to the FCC, about 40 households are currently benefiting from the pilot phase, receiving free briquettes over the past month.
Residents, particularly women, reported positive experiences, noting reduced dependence on charcoal and firewood, lower cooking costs, improved health due to reduced smoke exposure, and environmental benefits.
The initiative also includes clean cookstove distribution and household biodigester pilots aimed at promoting sustainable energy use in homes.
The FCC says the feedback from the pilot phase will help inform the expansion of the programme to more communities across Freetown.
