Fuel-efficient stoves: Empowering refugee women in Darfur

May 1, 2006 -(Cooperative Housing Foundation International) By the end of 2005, approximately 2.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) were living in dense camps scattered across arid areas of Darfur, Sudan, areas that have already low fuelwood productivity. In addition, inefficient harvesting of fuelwood has increasingly depleted the area's sources of wood and fuel. As a result, many women and children are left to leave the safety of their camps to fetch fuelwood from farther and farther away, imposing great risk upon themselves.

CHF International and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) at Berkley University conducted research in North and South Darfur to understand the household parameters related to family size, food, fuel, cooking habits, cooking pots, expenditure on fuel, and preferences related to alternative ways to spend time/money if fuel could be saved. The research teams found that a significant fraction of families are missing meals for lack of fuel -- 50% in South Darfur, and 90% in the North Darfur camps that were surveyed.

The LBNL research team concluded that the most suitable design for Darfur's conditions would be a metal "Tara" stove, which would significantly reduce fuelwood consumption using the same fuel, pots, cooking methods, and food ingredients used by Darfur IDPs. With training, cooks who have learned to tend the fire with this stove can save 50% fuel. The stove costs less than US$10 to produce in Darfur, and annually can save one family up to $160 worth of fuelwood at local market prices.

The Fuel Efficient Stoves project is one of several key interventions in CHF International's programs in Darfur. Specifically, the FES project is designed to:

* protect women from the sexual violence many have suffered during trips into isolated areas in search of wood;

* give IDPs skills that can be used for income generation; and

* help alleviate environmental pressure caused by excessive use of firewood.

From: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/SODA-6PE2YK?OpenDocument&rc=1&emid=ACOS-635PJQ