Our best long-lasting method of cooking for the extremely poor
The ability to cook is a basic human need, but in rural Africa fuel shortage is an increasing problem. Tikondane Community Centre will promote the growing and efficient use of firewood as a source of renewable energy for cooking.
At Tiko, schoolgirls, will care for tree seedlings for 6 months, earning some pocket money. Instead of cooking in the traditional way using three big three trunks, families will use clay-stoves designed to burn very small sticks, so they will need axes. An outdoor clay-stove, which if necessary can be repaired by hand, will be damaged by water in the rainy season, though, and needs a roof. So a small outdoor kitchen is built. Cooking outside the house also prevents damage to health caused by smoke inhalation. Thirty families will improve their livelihoods and climate change will not be madeworse.
The Problem
As throughout the world, covid has added to problems, which in rural Zambia, derive from extreme poverty. At Tiko we have been fighting this poverty for 22 years, but covid put an end to income from visitors to the lodge and volunteers from overseas. For the country, covid brings inflation and more poverty.
Tikondane Community Centre assists 75 poor subsistence farmers. Their basic need to cook food in their homesteads cannot be filled by electricity as even if available it is far too expensive. Charcoal has been used for many years, but when available, is not obtained legally. Extensive deforestation caused by making charcoal causes erosion while charcoal is increasingly scarce and expensive.
The Solution
Our answer to the basic need to cook food is to produce FIREWOOD AS A RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE. Every family must plant trees, chop the wood into small sticks and use it sparingly by cooking on a clay-stove with very small openings. We will give a clay stove to 30 families which, when necessary, can be repaired by hand. An outdoor kitchen which will allow cooking at all times and preclude health problems caused by smoke inhalation is also needed.
School girls whose school fees are paid by Tiko, will plant trees. As a bonus they will receive pocket money depending on the number of tree seedlings they keep alive for six months. The seedlings must be protected from grazing cows and chickens and regular watering is necessary. Pocket money of $ 2 per month plus $ 50 cents for every successfully grown tree, will be paid to each girl.
| Type | Amount in $ |
|---|---|
| Clay-stove | 55.00 |
| Axe | 5.50 |
| Bale of firewood | 1.00 |
| Outdoor kitchen | 90.00 |
| Pocket money per girl | 5.00 |
| Bonus for a seedling | 0.50 |
Long-term impact
We aim for around thirty families, to make a difference in this project. If trees are grown the use of firewood as renewable energy will reduce the present degree of poverty and combat climate change.