Photo: Georg Zenk (horizont3000) with Caroline Byeganje and John Ssengooba (Caritas MADDO)
Promoting rapid distribution of climate-friendly, efficient cooking cookers in the dioceses of Masaka. This is to improve the cooking and health conditions of local families and reduce firewood consumption.
Directly involved are 15 people (7 female and 8 male), indirectly involved 570 people (285 female and 285 male).
Georg Zenk has a degree in biochemistry and a doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology. After graduating, he went straight into environmental protection in Germany. He was consultant for hazardous substances and advised and audited companies on environmental management systems and processes. As climate change was considered in mid-2000 with the UN regulations in force, he focussed on climate action.
The advisory assignment is embedded within the Caritas MADDO Carbon Project and aims to enhance the organisation’s capacity to develop a sustainable business model based on carbon finance. The advisor will provide guidance and capacity-building support at all levels, ensuring that Caritas MADDO is well-equipped to implement its carbon finance-based initiatives effectively.Caritas MADDO operates the project 'Efficient and Healthy Cooking in Masaka Diocese,' which seeks to replace traditional cooking stoves with energy-efficient alternatives in rural and suburban households across six districts in southwestern Uganda. This initiative directly contributes to reducing firewood consumption, improving indoor air quality, and promoting better cooking and health conditions for local families. Additionally, Caritas MADDO is in the process of establishing a separate eco-friendly business model under the Eco Business programme, designed to integrate carbon finance mechanisms and expand sustainable operations.The primary objective of the TA assignment is to enable Caritas MADDO to implement environmentally sustainable solutions with a strong focus on climate change mitigation. Given the dependency of carbon finance on evolving international climate policies and Uganda’s regulatory framework, the advisor plays a crucial role in equipping the organisation with the knowledge and tools required to navigate this landscape effectively.Key outputs of the assignment include significant improvements in Caritas MADDO’s organisational capacity to implement and manage a sustainable business. The advisor will support the development of necessary plans, strategies, and operational structures to register the eco-friendly business for carbon credit certification. Activities will involve capacity-building measures, advising on project setup, monitoring tools, and operational strategies, as well as training personnel in carbon credit monitoring requirements. Furthermore, the advisor will explore the potential for carbon finance in various eco-friendly products and services, ensuring that all necessary processes are in place to secure carbon credits.A critical component of the assignment is to strengthen Caritas MADDO’s understanding of international certification standards for carbon projects. The advisor will provide guidance during monitoring campaigns and emission reduction verification processes, ensuring compliance with certification bodies. Additionally, the advisor will accompany Caritas MADDO during audits and external visits, supporting the organisation in meeting international requirements for carbon finance eligibility. While certain technical aspects, such as drafting Project Design Documents and handling specific certification processes, have been outsourced, the advisor’s role remains pivotal in fostering internal capacity and ensuring the long-term sustainability of Caritas MADDO’s carbon finance initiatives.Through these efforts, Caritas MADDO is positioned to effectively scale up its impact, providing climate-friendly solutions to local communities while integrating a sustainable financial model that aligns with global climate action and sustainable consumption goals.##sdgtargets## 7.1; 12.2; 13.2
