The Foundation supports projects that tangibly improve the lives of communities while combining innovation with social and environmental responsibility. Among these, the partnership with the Social Ecology Education Fund (SEEF) and the “Green Charcoal Cooperative” initiative in Kinshasa perfectly illustrates this approach.
SEEF, a Belgium-based impact fund, supports disadvantaged communities in the Global South to promote their social and ecological empowerment. Through responsible education, active citizenship, and social and ecological entrepreneurship, SEEF operates on a small scale in sensitive areas such as the outskirts of Kolkata, the Mayombe region in the DRC, the slums of Kinshasa, and rural Burundi.
“Beyond the significant financial support, we are particularly pleased to have attracted the attention of an engineering corporate foundation that believes in and validates our intuition behind this technically oriented project. The ‘Green Charcoal Cooperative’ demonstrates that young people are empowered and taking control of their future, unafraid of entrepreneurial and technological challenges. This is where we see a connection with all John Cockerill employees.” — Frederik De Gryse, Founder of SEEF
In Kinshasa, over 60% of households rely on wood or charcoal for cooking. This practice significantly contributes to deforestation, pollution, and public health problems. The PADERU project, supported by SEEF, offers a concrete solution: transforming urban organic waste into “green charcoal” briquettes.
Specifically, the project is based on a social cooperative managed by 20 vulnerable teenagers, who handle:
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the collection of organic waste,
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its conversion into biocharcoal briquettes,
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the production of improved stoves for healthier cooking,
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the distribution and sale to subscribing households.
This initiative helps reduce deforestation, clean up the city, protect the health of women and children, and create employment for disadvantaged youth, while raising community awareness of responsible citizenship.
Following a successful pilot phase, the project already involves 11 participants and 300 households. The professionalisation phase, beginning at the end of October 2025, aims to reach 20 young participants and 500 affiliated households. Beyond Kinshasa, the model is designed to be scalable, with potential expansion to other districts and cities, and even the integration of other ecological sectors such as the traditional pottery of the Batwa in Burundi.
“The support of the John Cockerill Foundation confirms the technical and entrepreneurial value of the project. It shows that needs in the Global South are evolving… education remains crucial, but it is equally essential to support young people in concrete, technical, and innovative projects.” — Frederik De Gryse
By supporting initiatives such as the Green Charcoal Cooperative, we encourage autonomy, social innovation, and environmental responsibility — values that resonate with our commitment to a better world.