GULU, UGANDA – Resilience From Within today announced the successful fabrication and assembly of the core compression unit for its Lyetch ManualPress prototype. This major milestone marks a critical step forward in developing a locally-engineered, pedal-powered machine designed to turn agricultural waste into clean cooking fuel.
The project was initiated in direct response to a need identified by the Lacac Pe Lony Women’s Group in January 2025. The group pinpointed energy poverty, exacerbated by a government ban on tree cutting that has made charcoal unaffordable, as the most pressing challenge for local households, many of which survive on incomes as low as UGX 50,000 (approx. $12) per month. Yet the imported briquette machine is expensive.
To answer this need, Resilience From Within commissioned a local engineer and welder to design and build a solution in Gulu. The Lyètch Press is engineered to be an affordable, off-grid, and locally repairable alternative to expensive imported machinery.
Completing the compression unit is a validation of our local innovation model,” said Francis, Founder, Resilience From Within.
It proves that we can build sophisticated, effective hardware right here in our community. This is about creating tools that empower, not create dependency.
With the complex compression unit now complete, the development team will proceed to the next phase: fabricating and integrating the pedal and flywheel system to power the machine.
Upon completion, the first prototype will be delivered to the Lacac Pe Lony Women’s Group for field testing, bringing the project full circle to the very community members who inspired its creation.
This initiative represents a core part of Resilience From Within’s mission to pair community-led training with tangible, locally-built hardware.
