INCREASE EFFICIENCY OF COOKING THROUGH IMPROVED STOVE

The WHO writes that yearly almost 4 million people die prematurely from illness caused by indoor air pollution from inefficient cooking practices, including  using high-polluting cookstoves (Household Air Pollution and Health, WHO). In Mozambique, many people cook indoors not only as protection against the heat, wind, or rain, but also to have access to cooking resources inside. Indoor air pollution is especially risky for women and young children, because they are the ones most often at home when meals are prepared.

To address this problem, Project Vita has begun building rocket stoves. There are several variants, but the type we have constructed uses locally sourced materials, including mud.   local materials, including mud.  This stove makes the heat transfer between flame and pot more efficient and directs the smoke out of the house. Further, by making the usage of solid fuel more efficient, the amount of firewood needed is also decreased, reducing the amount of wood that has to be cut down. This is important in Mozambique, which is experiencing deforestation in several areas. Due to this charcoal is often transported long distances for consumption.

This project targets Sustainable Development Goals 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination; and SDG 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.