Bboxx secures $17m to drive ‘clean’ transition in Rwanda

BREAKING NEWSOctober 6, 2023 at 11:44 AM UTC

Bboxx is utilizing funds from a $17 million subsidy, financed by the World Bank, to support a significant clean cooking initiative across Rwanda. Bboxx has entered into an agreement with the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD) to access a portion of this grant.

Under its clean cooking brand, Bboxx Cook, the company will initially deploy a portion of the subsidy to help realize its goal of providing cleaner cooking solutions to as many as 500,000 Rwandan households. Upon the successful completion of the initial phase of the project, Bboxx Cook will have the option to access additional funding to further advance its objectives.

This initiative is a vital component of the broader subsidy program, which aims to enhance the quality of life by reducing the percentage of households relying on firewood for cooking from 80% in 2017 to 42% by 2024, while also completely phasing out the use of charcoal in urban areas.

Key Takeaways

Traditional fuels like wood and charcoal not only pose environmental challenges but also significantly contribute to carbon emissions and deforestation. Comparatively, charcoal and wood have a carbon footprint that is 50% and 74% larger than that of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), respectively. Additionally, as much as 30% of global deforestation is driven by charcoal production. Adopting clean cooking solutions helps mitigate these issues, addressing some of the most significant sources of emissions, pollution, and deforestation in the developing world. Transitioning to clean cooking solutions could have a profound impact on the well-being of households and society. Clean cooking solutions, such as LPG, not only reduce health risks but also free up valuable time each week.