According to the Senegalese Department of Water and Forestry official for the Fatick Region, “improved cookstoves are the only things that can save us from deforestation.” As Department of Water and Forestry officers travel to communities around Senegal, they are spreading the word about the many benefits of CREATE!’s improved cookstove program. Thanks to their outreach, training for CREATE!’s improved cookstoves in rural Senegal is now in high demand!
Anyone can learn to build an improved cookstove – instructions are easy, materials are free, and no special tools are needed!
As Senegal’s rainy season swiftly approaches, CREATE!’s field technicians are holding as many cookstove training sessions as possible before rainy weather prohibits new stove construction. In the past month alone, technicians have led trainings in more than 10 communities that requested instruction in cookstove construction, including some located outside of CREATE!’s established project area.
CREATE! field technicians train women to build their own cookstoves and teach them how to train their friends and family members as well.
In follow up visits to the communities of Ndoffane Bouré, Same Fall, and Yarou Gouy, CREATE! staff technicians found that women had already used their new training to build cookstoves in nearly every household. Women in these villages continue to share their knowledge with their friends and neighbors and our staff expects that cookstove numbers will continue to multiply.
The enclosed design of CREATE! cookstoves reduces the risk of fire and injury to children and animals. Cookstoves also have numerous health benefits – they burn cleaner than open fires and produce less smoke.
Cookstove training participants are thrilled with their new improved cookstoves! One woman told CREATE! trainers that she “rejoiced that the fire risk to her home has declined thanks to her improved cookstove.” Many also praised the role of the improved cookstove in fighting deforestation in their communities. CREATE! is excited that our improved cookstove is spreading across rural Senegal!