Gicumbi: RWCA Distributes Energy Saving Stoves to Families to Protect Rugezi Marsh

The Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association (RWCA) on October 31, 2025, has distributed 200 energy saving stoves (also known as fuel efficient stoves) to households in Kabuga Village, Mabuga Cell, Miyove Sector, Gicumbi District, as part of efforts to promote environmental conservation and reduce pressure on Rugezi Marsh, one of Rwanda’s most important wetlands.

According to Dr. Deo Ruhagazi, Deputy CEO of RWCA, the initiative aims to improve the well-being of local communities while protecting the environment.

“We organized this stove distribution to support residents’ livelihoods and reduce the number of trees being cut for firewood,” he said. “This will also help minimize respiratory diseases and, most importantly, conserve Rugezi Marsh, where people had been cutting trees in the buffer zone. These stoves will serve as a mitigation measure to protect those areas.”

Each stove, valued at Rwf 57,000, brings the total cost of the 200 stoves to Rwf 11.4 million. The stoves distributed, known as Save80 stoves, are designed to use small sticks for cooking, significantly reducing firewood consumption compared to traditional cooking methods.

“These stoves will reduce the amount of firewood people use, meaning fewer trees will be cut,” Dr. Ruhagazi added. “We ask residents to work together to protect Rugezi Marsh and the Grey Crowned Crane.”

Lighter Work and Brighter Days for Families

For many residents, especially women and the elderly, the new stoves are a lifeline that eases both physical and financial burdens.

Pudencienne Uwimana, a widow and mother of six from Kabuga Village, Mabuga Cell, Miyove Sector, said the stove will greatly reduce the time and money she spends searching for firewood.

“As an old woman, finding firewood was very difficult. I used to work for a small amount of money, about Rwf 1,000, to buy wood that lasted only one day,” she explained. “Now, with this stove, that same wood will last for a whole month because it uses so little. This will also help us protect our Rugezi Marsh and our Grey Crowned Cranes. I will take good care of this stove until it wears out.”

Another beneficiary, Celestin Utazirubanda, shared that the stove will improve his family’s health and safety.

“My wife and I are old, and this stove will help us cook without struggling to light the fire, which used to cause breathing problems,” he said. “We used to collect wood from the forest, but we were told it’s forbidden because it damages the environment. Now, I’ll just need a few small sticks to cook. I thank RWCA for freeing us from that burden.”

A Boost for Conservation and Climate Action

Moses Kirenga, Executive Secretary of Gicumbi District, praised RWCA’s efforts, saying the initiative will help residents reduce deforestation and protect biodiversity around Rugezi Marsh.

“These stoves will help communities safeguard the environment, especially the species living in Rugezi Marsh, which borders Miyove and Nyankenke sectors,” he said. “People used to cut trees for firewood, which contributed to deforestation and increased risks of floods and landslides. With these stoves, tree cutting will greatly decrease.”

He urged residents to use the stoves responsibly and to keep them in good condition.

“We were told these stoves can last up to ten years if used properly. People should take care of them, avoid selling them, and continue protecting the environment, including Rugezi Marsh,” Kirenga added.

Protecting a Precious Ecosystem

Rugezi Marsh is a Ramsar site and one of Rwanda’s key wetlands, home to about a quarter of all Grey Crowned Cranes in the country.
A 2024 biodiversity survey found the marsh hosts 638 species, including 197 plant species, 127 bird species, and 53 mammals, among them 22 bat species, with 433 species recorded there for the first time.

By promoting clean energy solutions such as energy-saving stoves, RWCA aims to balance human needs and environmental protection while sustaining critical habitats like Rugezi Marsh for future generations.