Rocket Stoves to Save Millions
Thursday, January 21, 2010
About 90 households in Totoya, in Lau, will soon enjoy cooking on smokeless stoves donated by the Pacific Blue Foundation.
Commonly known as the rocket stove, the new product is effectively used in developing countries such as Papua New Guinea, Mexico, Guatamala,Costa Rica and El Salvador. The stove, which is made from empty drums and aided by small pieces of wood, is currently being used by the people of Yanuca Island.
Unlike open fire, the stove can store a maximum heat of more than 600F.
Pacific Blue Foundation South Pacific co-ordinator and newly installed Roko Sau of Totoya Roko Josefa Cinavilakeba said the new stove had many advantages which would greatly assisted the rural dwellers. He said the new stove could potentially save the country millions of dollars.
“It has a lot of advantages for it can cook the food twice quicker than the open fire, saves time and money.”Also it saves out forests for we will only need small pieces of wood to light up the fire,” said Roko Josefa.He said another advantage was that the stove could be moved around within the house and its compound.”Women can easily do whatever other household cores they may have while they are cooking their food,” said Roko Josefa.
He said the feedback he had been getting from the people of Totoya was encouraging. “Men are now assisting the women with their cooking because the stove is very easy to use,” said Roko Josefa.
