By Chipambano Mbewe
Malawian company, 14 Trees has started production of soil stabilised bricks called Durabric, as well as offering the integrated housing solutions called Durabric Homes — which are made up though a combination of soil, sand and cement without burning them in a kiln.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), together with Blantyre City Council, have applauded this initiative, saying it will play a bigger role in mitigating deforestation in the country.
Deputy Mayor Councilor Makwinja (left) cutting
ribbon to officially launch the Blantyre branch
The 14 Trees Malawi, which was established by Lafarge Holcim and CDC — a UK Development Finance Institution — is aimed at focusing and empowering people to switch from the use of burning bricks to a new technology of using Durabric and concrete blocks for their house construction in order to protect trees and fight against climate change.
Speaking during the launching of the new 14 Trees Blantyre factory branch in Chirimba industrial area on Tuesday, BCC Deputy Mayor, Councillor Josephy Makwinja said the factory has come at a right time when Council is in the process of advocating on the dangers and consequences of burning bricks to the environment.
Inside the plant
He said the custom of kiln brick burning is contributing to careless cutting down of trees, which has also left all the mountains and forests bare in the city and across the country.
“I must admit that we’ve been concerned with how the burning of bricks was affecting climate change but we had no possible and reliable means of controlling the situation to the people.
“We are now excited with the coming in of 14 Trees Malawi because this will be our main alternative of saving the environment since people will now start using DURABRIC and concrete blocks whenever they want to build a house, which will also help to beautify our city,” Makwinja said.
A Durabric building
UNDP Malawi’s Resident Representative, Shigeki Komatsubara described the initiative as vital as it will play various ways in changing the country against the wanton deforestation.
She said there was need to bring this green brick production closer to the villages through provision of trainings, which can help in creating employment among people.
“Climate is changing — so we need to be ready for the changing patterns of the environment,” she said.
“The 14 Trees has taken a right direction which can make Malawi a better nation and as UNDP we promise to support this programme so that it should achieve its main intended purpose,” Komatsubara said.
14 Trees Malawi’s Country Head of Operations Mussa Chayenda said they decided to open a brach in Southern Region after noticing the increase in public demand for the Durabric as well as concrete blocks from their head office in Lilongwe.
“During the previous years, we were able to deliver our products at any part of the country including here in Southern Region but now we are trying to respect our customers and show them we are serious and deeply concerned with issues of climate change.
A brick kiln
“Therefore, our target is to make sure that we should deal with this problem whose main contribution is the burning of bricks and our plan is to have branches in all the three regions.“
Chayenda said construction of a three-bedroomed house using Durabric saves 14 trees on average.
The 14 Trees Malawi was launched in 2016 in Lilongwe and in a day it produces a total of 6,500 Durabrics and 2,500 concrete blocks.