Natural Balance, a social enterprise and the driving force behind the prodigious Wonderbag – a heat retention cooker which offsets carbon by reducing the use of cooking fuel – will launch in Rwanda today.
The expansion cements the organisation’s vision of an East African head office.
As well as its geographical location, Rwanda’s focus on the environment as a means of galvanising the population perfectly aligns with Natural Balance’s own ethos.
The organisation delivers positive sociological and environmental benefits for families in developing countries, while providing a responsible yet commercial solution to carbon offsetting for global corporations, such as existing partner Unilever.
With regular nationwide clean up and recycling schemes operating in Rwanda, Natural Balance will bring additional sustainable and economic support to the country. Providing bags will impact on the environment andhelp to alleviate poverty – from reducing fuel usage to job creation and freeing up valuable time. Already bags are being manufactured locally in the first Natural Balance factory outside South Africa, established in central Rwanda.
Recent trials across Rwanda found that the average family’s fuel usage is reduced by up to 70 per cent when using the Wonderbag, saving 4.9 trees per household every year.
This is vitally important as the population has limited access to clean and safe cooking fuels and consequently the country’s natural resources are depreciating rapidly, disrupting the balance of the local ecosystem.
The Wonderbag dramatically reduces cooking times on open fires and paraffin lit stoves – on average five hours – saving anywhere from 50-90 per cent of the time food needs to be on an external heating source.
In addition, up to 80 per cent less water is used as there is no evaporation due to the heat retention properties of the cooker. This is the equivalent of five meals cooked with the same amount of water required for one meal using traditional means.
Speaking of the expansion, Sarah Collins, founder, Natural Balance said: “Our business is at a revolutionary point with governments and organisations alike recognising the extraordinary opportunity the Wonderbag provides for them to contribute positively to society.
As Africa’s most densely populated country, Rwanda is a vital territory for our business as we look to continue to promote the benefits of the Wonderbag and set up our central East Africa head office. The expansion marks the start of a global programme of growth across both developing and developed nations in the coming months.”
The launch into Rwanda comes after a year of significant change and continued success for Natural Balancewhich actively seeks to launch in to countries and communities identified with high poverty rates, a shortage of fuel supplies, a high incidence of health problems associated with air pollution, and/or injuries resulting from fuel fires. As of June 2012, 500,000 Wonderbags have been distributed throughout South Africa directly improving the lives of over 2.5 million people.
Furthermore each Wonderbag can prevent the emission of half a ton of C02 each year, even if only used three times a week. This is the equivalent to the annual emissions of over 45,000 European households, or more than 400,000 return flights between London and New York.
Moreover, since September 2011, over 2,000 temporary and permanent jobs have been created in local communities by Natural Balance by establishing factories which produce Wonderbags.
