- Student
- 02/12/2024
And how are things in Kigali in Rwanda?
Master's student Thomas Roelofs is doing an internship in Rwanda, a country with lots of sunshine but also a country with growing pains. He is enjoying leading a sustainability project where school meals are no longer cooked on wood, but on pellets. Nice touch: the University Fund is making a financial contribution.
Every day, the temperature ranges between 23 and 28 degrees Celsius, all year round. However, it's currently the rainy season, so there are occasional downpours. But other than that, it's a wonderful place to be. It's a strong contrast to the Netherlands, especially when I find myself walking around in a T-shirt in mid-November. It makes me appreciate being here even more.
Sometimes things happen in unexpected ways. While I spent the entire spring searching for an internship in Indonesia (read: I sent over 30 emails to various organizations in that country), a pellet company from Rwanda, Biomassters, reached out to my supervisor. They had room for a master's student to take on a brand-new project. After a good conversation, they presented an interesting company with a challenging project. I quickly said yes: "Let's go to Africa then." So far, I haven't regretted that decision for a moment.
Rwanda is an incredibly fascinating country. After a recent and turbulent history, the Rwandans have reconciled with one another. Now, they are one of the fastest-growing economies on this continent and new developments are commonplace. The capital, Kigali, is a great example. It's a city with more than a million inhabitants spread over dozens of hills where it’s clean, safe, and accessible. In addition, the city has almost all the facilities that European cities have to offer.
However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows. This country, with its complex history and ambitious plans, is experiencing growing pains. Many people still cook using traditional biomass. This accounts for 40% of air pollution, with all its consequences. Transitioning to LPG or electricity is not yet an option for many people, it’s simply too expensive. This forms the foundation of my project.
The Ministry of Education wants to phase out the use of firewood for cooking school meals and is looking for alternatives. That’s why Biomassters started a pilot at a school with two institutional burners. Pellets offer clean combustion and are affordable, making this solution an ideal intermediary step for the Rwandan government to become sustainable. I have been entrusted by the stakeholders to coordinate this project. The results are promising and gather attention both within and outside of Rwanda.
It is incredibly cool to carry out this project and be part of this social enterprise.
University Fund Eindhoven
I get the impression that many students don't realize that such internships are an option. I would encourage students interested in similar projects to take on such work. In fact, the university stimulates these types of initiatives with financial support. With this project, I was able to apply for the University Fund, which covered most of my travel and accommodation expenses. This allowed me to challenge myself on the other side of the world, learn a lot, and make a significant impact with my work. Moreover, there are excellent career opportunities linked to this; or good references should you choose to seek work closer to home afterward.
Lastly, for people who want to visit Africa but don’t know where to start, Rwanda is the perfect place to begin. At the border with Tanzania, you can go on safari and spot the Big Five. Additionally, there are two national parks with vast jungles and abundant wildlife, where you can see among other a variety of unique primates. And then there’s Lake Kivu, the most beautiful lake in Africa. The great thing about Rwanda is that everything is less than a day’s travel away. The country is not corrupt, and the people are friendly. When I return to the Netherlands, I will often think back to my time here. I look forward to the moment I can visit Rwanda and this fascinating continent again.
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