While most of us might associate smoke-related health problems with cigarettes, everyday life creates harmful exposure for many Tanzanians.
Most houses here, especially those in rural villages, have no windows or very poor ventilation. Those factors coupled with open fires, which most people use for cooking, creates an extremely unhealthy environment.
One of our partner organizations is devoted to fixing this problem.
Massai Stoves and Solar (MSS), founded by Robert Lange, of Massachusetts, teaches local women how to build and install these stoves. NCN recently funded 100 stoves to test out in the Alailelai Ward in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and the response has been huge. Since the women were trained at the beginning of January, more than 30 stoves had already been put into homes in the village.
Along with Massai women from elsewhere who are expert stove builders, the organization recently trained and hired local man Alapajara Matingoi Tawo to lead the work.
The benefits of this project are multifaceted; Maasai families and especially babies are having a chance for a much healthier life, the new stoves are more environmentally friendly, and the 40 women doing the building are gaining skills and confidence while earning money.
The stoves, which unlike those that are traditional in Tanzania have chimneys, reduce harmful smoke by 90 percent, according to the MSS website, and they also eliminate burn danger. In addition to helping reduce carbon monoxide issues, the new stoves have also led to a decrease in chronic coughs and head congestion.
There’s also the huge sustainability bonus in that these stoves require less firewood than the typical open fire pit—a very important factor when considering that this is an area of extreme deforestation.
We’re really excited about this partnership—we were able to see a need in these remote villages, and MSS is an established organization that was able to come in and provide a concrete solution. It’s also very encouraging that the Maasai receiving the stoves are so receptive and willing to try something new in a culture so steeped in tradition. One of MSS’s employees said there have been hundreds of people asking for stoves
Kim and I are eager to get to the conservation area to see firsthand the collaborating and building going on with the stoves project. We plan to visit with Judy, when she comes to Tanzania in March.
And because the project has had such immediate success, NCN will look to fund a lot more stoves next year. We’ll be able to increase our stove numbers with donations.
To learn more about Massai Stoves and Solar, visit their website internationalcollaborative.org.
