Rev. Matthieu Yela Bonketo, IRI DRC National Facilitator, held recent meetings with the Norwegian Embassy. The first meeting focused on the presentation of IRI’s theory of change and the successes of IRI DRC. The discussions also revolved around the work on the Contribution Note to the Six Commitments of the President of the DRC, which IRI DRC will submit to the President, the government, and the Houses of Parliament. The second meeting focused on the role that religious denominations play in the fight against deforestation due to the manufacture of embers (biomass energy). The objective was to explore collaboration with IRI DRC to get religious denominations to get involved in the planting of forests that will serve as a carbon sink and, when the trees reach 5 years old, sell them to this industry for carbonisation. The company, Criterion Africa Partners, signed agreements with the religious denominations and their members, who agreed to the project by guaranteeing the price of cutting and transporting the timber to the factory. This will ensure a circular economy. The company will also help members of religious communities to dry their cassava with the energy released by the factory. Coordination will continue between CAFI, IRI DRC, and the company, Criterion Africa Partners.