During a visit to Chileka Village to see how the community were using their fuel-efficient cookstoves, we met M’ngoma, Jord and Nellie. All in their 80’s, these ladies are referred to as Agogo, grandmother in Chichewa.
Their whole lives they have watched their mothers, grandmother’s and women in their community cook on a three-stone fire and they themselves did the same as they started to cook and then have their own families. They have spent thousands of hours collecting wood and they have witnessed the forests disappear around them.
A year ago though, they each learnt about our fuel-efficient cookstoves. They attended the community awareness events and trainings and then had one built in their kitchen with the help of our team.
But does this alternative new cooking method get their approval? Yes it does!
Jord said, “On the three stone fire my eyes would sting from the smoke produced but not on this cookstove. I can heat water for bathing and cook breakfast at the same time too. I only need to collect small pieces of firewood and can use cassava stalks and corn cobs.”Â
M’ngoma and Nellie nodded and murmured in agreement, and they are happy that the lives of their daughters and granddaughters have been improved too.
Learn more about our work here.
