Fuel-Efficient Stove Training Program

Training families how to build and use a fuel-efficient or “rocket” stove is a life-changing opportunity for Ugandans. Built essentially from clay and grass, rocket stoves are a clever design for cooking, which greatly improve the combustion efficiency of the fire and significantly reduce smoke. The benefits are monumental, with firewood reduced by a massive two-thirds, whilst smoke is largely eliminated - a major health advantage for Africans who generally cook inside their homes. The indirect benefits are also important, rocket stoves are more efficient meaning that women spend less time each day in collecting wood and cooking food, and young children are no longer exposed to the dangers of an open fire. 

Training programs are undertaken in family groups over a period of approximately two days. Training is undertaken by qualified Ugandan instructors.

Outcomes: families learn the basic science of heat energy, the benefits of the stoves and how to use them. Each family then builds a stove with the trainer and is taught how to maintain and repair them.

Costs: Fuel-efficient Stove Training Programs are undertaken for approximately 40 families at a time with a cost of AUD$3,000 to run (equivalent to AUD$75 per family).