As a result of its pioneering global micro Programme of Activities (mPoA), co2balance are assisting partners develop projects in countries that have yet to see much benefit from carbon finance initiatives. This brings us neatly around to the latest project addition to our mPOA Improved Kitchen Regimes – Dissemination of Improved Stoves in Zoba Anseba, Eritrea alongside our partner Vita. Our work will help bring 8,000 improved cookstoves to households in this project and it will also support the ‘training of trainers’ in which every 1 person trained in stove building and maintenance will then pass on their skills to 10 more. This project will start construction towards the later end of this year thanks to the funding we will unlock by demonstrating the offset potential of this project.
Eritrea is, I think its fair to say, not a well-known country outside of Africa – perhaps not even in it? Despite it occupying a strategic location near the entrance to the Red Sea, it is somewhat overshadowed by its two better-known neighbours, Ethiopia and Sudan.
Here are some interesting facts that you may not know about Eritrea:
- In 2006, it became the world’s first country to allocate an entire coastline as a reserve (and not a small one at over 1000 kilometres!)
- It has no official national language, as the Constitution establishes the equality of all Eritrean languages
- One of the world’s oldest human fossils was excavated here and many experts believe Eritrea to be the place early hominids started their journey out from Africa
- Just like France, Spain and Italy, Eritrea holds a multi-stage international cycling event – the Giro de Eritrea is held annually.