Back in May 2007 I took a plane from London to DR Congo, to work together with WildlifeDirect. I was then based in Mutsora, the northern sector of Virunga National Park, until February 2008, when I decided to leave and work in Bukavu, South Kivu.

While working for WildlifeDirect, I was very lucky to meet (through the net) Robert Williams, a big gorilla fun, who later became fundraiser and consultant for that same NGO (you can read more on his blog Ending Charcoal). We kept in touch after I left, and he was the person who proposed and inspired me with this great idea of fuel briquettes.

My work has been voluntary from the start, and thanks to the generous donation of $580 I got from Sue and Samantha, I was able to build the first press machine and mechanical hammer mill.

Robert Williams has been on the other side of the world giving me advice on a daily basis, and as from last month, I have been paid a salary of $1000 for June (and same for July), to help WildlifeDirect set up their project in Rumangabo, while training staff here in Bukavu.

I would like to thank William and Kizito from SoDeRu, because I have been living under their expenses (house, car, bike, petrol, Internet connection, security), and without them, I would have never been able to make it.

I would also like to thank The Legacy Foundation and Richard Stanley, who invented this successfull product and give us all their support whenever we need it.

I am currently writting grant proposals to take this project on a bigger scale, while visiting local conservation NGO’s who would be willing to adopt the fuel briquette technique within their programs.