Efficient stoves provide benefits to primary students, mothers and infants
AHEAD was pleased to wrap up a project funded by the Dorothea Haus Ross Foundation at Kagando Rural Development Center (KARUDEC) in the first two months of 2011.
The project got underway in May 2010 with the building of efficient cookstoves in the Mother’s Home. The Home is a residence for women whose delivery date is drawing nigh and for new mothers with post-delivery complication. Providing a place where women can be close to Kagando Hospital prior to delivery and immediately afterwards has significantly reduced the health risks to mothers and infants in the area.
Eight stoves were constructed at the Home by Richard Kizito, the Community Mobilization Officer for the East African Energy Technology Development Network, Uganda. The work began with sensitizing the staff and residents to the importance of energy saving stoves and hot water. The process of cooking and heating water at the same time was explained. The residents readily embraced the new stoves that save time and fuel (and thus, money).
Since the Home had no incinerator, Mr. Kizito built one that heats water as trash is burned. The burn chamber sits below a stainless steel water tank, both of which are encased in a brick and cement structure, built to withstand heat. Water in the tank is heated as smoke and gasses are pulled upwards into the chimney. A water pipe running from the tank to the kitchen allows residents to access hot water.
Building the four institutional stoves a Kagando Primary School was delayed for a few months while funding was secured to build a new kitchen in which to house the stoves. Prior to the project, cooking for the 700+ students was done over an open fire in a dirt-floor kitchen built of corrugated iron. The stove project prompted KARUDEC managers to secure funds to build a new kitchen. Eventually, the school hopes to build a dining hall as well.
The new kitchen was erected in December and work began on the stoves in January. Two twin-burner stoves were built by Mr. Kizito, each stove accommodating a large (30 liter) saucepan for cooking rice, porridge, beans, and for boiling water. Stainless steel tanks were imbedded in the stove chimneys to heat water. KARUDEC staff assumed responsibility for installing the water lines both to the Primary School kitchen and New Mother Home kitchen.
Unfortunately, the first test of the hot water heating system at the Primary School revealed that there we leaks in the system. The tanks had to be removed from the chimney and so that seams and joints could be re-welded.
On February 26, 2011 the long-awaited stove project was completed with an official ceremonies attended by all the boarding students, the school staff, and KARUCED management. Groups of students filed into the kitchen to inspect the stoves and get a cup of hot water. “The students were very happy to have hot water,” Mr. Kizito reported. “The boys were joyfully singing and jumping and everyone was busy getting hot water for various purposes.”
The project got underway in May 2010 with the building of efficient cookstoves in the Mother’s Home. The Home is a residence for women whose delivery date is drawing nigh and for new mothers with post-delivery complication. Providing a place where women can be close to Kagando Hospital prior to delivery and immediately afterwards has significantly reduced the health risks to mothers and infants in the area.
Eight stoves were constructed at the Home by Richard Kizito, the Community Mobilization Officer for the East African Energy Technology Development Network, Uganda. The work began with sensitizing the staff and residents to the importance of energy saving stoves and hot water. The process of cooking and heating water at the same time was explained. The residents readily embraced the new stoves that save time and fuel (and thus, money).
Since the Home had no incinerator, Mr. Kizito built one that heats water as trash is burned. The burn chamber sits below a stainless steel water tank, both of which are encased in a brick and cement structure, built to withstand heat. Water in the tank is heated as smoke and gasses are pulled upwards into the chimney. A water pipe running from the tank to the kitchen allows residents to access hot water.
Building the four institutional stoves a Kagando Primary School was delayed for a few months while funding was secured to build a new kitchen in which to house the stoves. Prior to the project, cooking for the 700+ students was done over an open fire in a dirt-floor kitchen built of corrugated iron. The stove project prompted KARUDEC managers to secure funds to build a new kitchen. Eventually, the school hopes to build a dining hall as well.
The new kitchen was erected in December and work began on the stoves in January. Two twin-burner stoves were built by Mr. Kizito, each stove accommodating a large (30 liter) saucepan for cooking rice, porridge, beans, and for boiling water. Stainless steel tanks were imbedded in the stove chimneys to heat water. KARUDEC staff assumed responsibility for installing the water lines both to the Primary School kitchen and New Mother Home kitchen.
Unfortunately, the first test of the hot water heating system at the Primary School revealed that there we leaks in the system. The tanks had to be removed from the chimney and so that seams and joints could be re-welded.
On February 26, 2011 the long-awaited stove project was completed with an official ceremonies attended by all the boarding students, the school staff, and KARUCED management. Groups of students filed into the kitchen to inspect the stoves and get a cup of hot water. “The students were very happy to have hot water,” Mr. Kizito reported. “The boys were joyfully singing and jumping and everyone was busy getting hot water for various purposes.”
