Biobriquette in Told, Hungary

Poverty and fuel poverty and thus heating in the winter is a great problem in some poor areas of Hungary. Such was the case in the small village of Told in Eastern Hungary. Having recognised the complex problem, an NGO (Igazgyöngy Alapítvány /Real Pearl Foundation) elaborated a complex social, educational and skill development program to enable those willing to participate to maintain themselves. The first step was to generate trust and acceptance and the foundation approached the residents of the village (and many other villages) via artistic (and other) education of children. Later adults and several other skill development, health, social and job generation component followed.
Within this aid system, the NGO–introduced an adapted biobriquette manufacturing program .Some 20 residents produce biobriquette from agricultural waste (sunflower and corn residues, straw). Manufacturing takes place for a few months a year. The amount manufactured has been sufficient to provide supplementary fuel for the families of the participants
Because the manufacturing process is time consuming, and the heating value is low, this type is biobriquette was suitable for supplementary fuel. However, the experience accumulated paved the way for stepping forward, and in 2019 the community with the help of Real Pearl Foundation procured a chopping machine and a used professional biobriquette machine, which will allow the foundation to employ 2 people in full ti