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Geneva Technical Hub Case Studies: Energy & Environment, Rwanda – Facilitating market-based access to clean cooking fuels in refugee camps – Rwanda


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Access to clean cooking is a challenge in refugee camps in Rwanda: Marketavailable fuels such as firewood and charcoal are scarce, not clean and not environmentally sustainable. To bridge this gap, UNHCR provides energy assistance, which is costly and does not foster a clean cooking market. In 2024, a review of the access to clean cooking helped to explore alternative, context-adapted and affordable solutions for refugees.

Background and context

Without assistance, forcibly displaced in Rwanda likely cover cooking needs with firewood collection or charcoal purchases. Both fuels are not considered clean and likely cause environmental degradation if not acquired from sustainable sources. The gathering of biomass can also pose a risk for gender-based violence. UNHCR tackles this protection and energy challenge with in-kind distribution of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and cash for energy (CfE) assistance. While these solutions help to largely cover cooking needs, it is a fragile and costly approach, and does not foster a local clean cooking market: Reduced LPG distributions likely lead again to biomass usage, and even with CfE there is no alternative to charcoal.

Mission objectives

The field mission of the Geneva Technical Hub (GTH) was tasked to support ongoing efforts of UNHCR in Rwanda in the provision of clean energy for cooking. The mission included cooking energy needs assessments at household level and market assessment for cooking solutions in and around refugee camps. To have a comprehensive overview of the varying settings in the country and the different types of energy assistance of UNHCR, detailed assessments where conducted in the Mahama refugee camp (where LPG is provided) and Kigeme refugee camp (where CfE is provided). In addition, consultations were made with organizations involved in clean cooking and private-sector energy suppliers.



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