Mali has a population of 19 million. 98% of its population uses wood or charcoal for cooking. This training is in partnership with the Association des Femmes Catholiques du Mali.

Gabon has a population of 2 million. Most of the urban population uses gas for cooking while most of the rural population uses wood for cooking. This training is in partnership with the Association des Femmes Catholiques du Gabon.

Zambia has a population of 18 million. 83% of families use wood and charcoal for cooking.

Training is beginning in the following settlements: Kyangwali, Bweyali/Kiryandongo, Palabek Gem, Palabek 2, Palorinya, Pasu, Bidibidi, Alere, Oliji, Ayilo1, Ayilo2 and Alua.

Most refugees in developing countries cook with wood over open fires or crude cookstoves. We expect the training in these settlements to be successful. We hope the success will encourage UNHCR to train in every settlement and camp worldwide where refugees cook with wood.

Nigeria has a population of 201 million, making it the most populated country in Africa. 71% of the people use wood or charcoal for cooking. If the training is successful, training will expand to the remaining 23 dioceses.

India has a population of 1.4 billion. 64% use wood and charcoal for cooking – nearly a billion people. Since India’s Catholic population is very small, Sun24 is partnering with associations of women self-help groups. We are testing this approach in Tamil Nadu.

Senegal has a population of 16 million. 56% of its population uses wood and charcoal for cooking.

Sierra Leone has a population of 8 million. 98% of its population uses wood and charcoal for cooking.

Tanzania has a population of 56 million. 96% of the population uses wood or charcoal for cooking.

Guinea has a population of 13 million. The Catholic population is only 3%. 96% of the population uses wood or charcoal for cooking.

Ghana has a population of 30 million. Only 13% of its population is Catholic. It will be interesting to see how successfully they train non-Catholics.

By adding just two standard bricks to our 2-brick stove, we create a second burner.  Both burners use the same fire, increasing efficiency.  The 2-burner stove also uses very little firewood and emits very little smoke.  The additional cost is only about $0.30.  This stove is being tested in numerous African countries.

Here is an overview of our cookstoves projects.

We are now introducing improved cookstoves to the developing world.  Worldwide, 3 billion people cook over open fires.  These fires are filthy, unhealthy (smoke), dangerous (fires), expensive and time-consuming (wood collection), cause deforestation and are horrible for the climate.

Our new cookstove design is so simple it can be made by brick makers everywhere using only the clay they already use for bricks.  It is just two modified bricks.  Women are using our stove in Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.  They love it.  It uses much less firewood and emits much less smoke.

We are spreading the design throughout Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya and numerous other countries.  Brick makers should be able to make and sell the stoves for around $1.

Here is an overview of our cookstoves projects.

Welcome Ghana and Burkina Faso.  We just ordered 17,280 solar lights for each country.

Caritas in many African countries are considering joining the Su24 project, including Angola, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Gambia, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  Burkina Faso and Ghana are the most recent to agree to participate.  We are currently in Uganda (44,000 lights), Guatemala (34,000), Burundi (20,000) and Rwanda (14,000).  The president of Sun24, Kevin McLean, is pictured above with Caritas delegations from some of these countries.  Kevin was invited to speak about the solar light project at the Caritas Africa Bishop’s Meeting in September.  (The last meeting was five years ago.)  The meeting was attended by Caritas delegations from all sub-Saharan African countries.  Most delegations included the national Caritas director and two Bishops or Archbishops.