In a remarkable shift towards sustainability and cost efficiency, Morogoro Secondary School has reduced its energy costs by 67 percent after transitioning from traditional firewood and charcoal to eco-friendly briquettes that do not come from trees.
Established in 1954, the government-run school accommodates over 615 boarding students, and for decades, relied heavily on firewood and charcoal for preparing daily meals — a practice that not only proved costly but also hazardous to the health of kitchen staff and damaging to the environment.
Speaking to The Citizen, Mariam Mgonde, the school’s head cook, explained the positive impact the switch has had. “There is much less smoke in the kitchen now, and we no longer suffer from the coughs and eye irritations we used to endure every day. The new briquettes burn longer and are easier to handle.”
The briquettes, made from agricultural and organic waste materials such as rice husks and sawdust, are smokeless, long-burning, and environmentally friendly. They have significantly reduced the school’s dependence on firewood, a major contributor to deforestation in Tanzania.
According to school administrators, the shift was part of a broader energy-saving initiative introduced in collaboration with local clean energy startups and supported by the Kilosa District Administration, which has been advocating for safe and sustainable cooking alternatives across the region.
“We realized we were spending too much on firewood — and harming our environment in the process. With the help of clean energy partners, we were trained on how to use these briquettes effectively. The results speak for themselves,” said the school’s deputy head, Mr. Juma Mwakyusa.
The initiative not only brings cost savings but also aligns with Tanzania’s national energy and climate goals, especially efforts to reduce carbon emissions and slow down deforestation caused by charcoal production.
This local success story in Morogoro is already drawing attention from nearby schools and public institutions, many of which are beginning to explore similar transitions to sustainable energy alternatives.
The Kilosa District Council has announced plans to host workshops aimed at scaling clean cooking solutions throughout the region.
