6000 Safe Stoves for Darfur Refugee Mothers

Summary

6,000 Safe Stoves for Darfur Refugee Mothers provides 6,000 Darfuri refugee families with a safe and efficient way to prepare meals using the Mud Stove created and implemented by Darfur Women Network. Safe Stoves positively impacts survivors of genocide in Darfur refugee camps. Providing these stoves for refugees reduces health and safety risks as well as encourages ecological preservation.

Challenge

6.000 refugee families in Touloum Camp, Chad use traditional wood-burning cooking stoves which can be costly and hazardous. These refugees have no consistent source of income and children suffering malnutrition. Firewood scarcity due to deforestation leaves women and girls vulnerable as they trek long distances into dangerous high conflict territory which put them at risk for rape and violent attacks. In addition to safety issues, smoke inhalation and fire hazards are a constant concern.

Solution

Adapting a safe fuel-efficient stove will reduce the length of time required to collect firewood, the number of trips into the forest lessening risk of attack, protect refugees from smoke inhalation and open fire threats as well preserve the forest from desertification. Because the stoves can be made within the camp from local materials, the stoves are also more cost effective. The production of the stoves provide women and girls with a means of generating income their families.

Long-Term Impact

The program will provide 6,000 families in Touloum Camp with Safe Stoves and women with safe cooking options, decision-making training, and access to alternative sources of income to improve the well being of their families. After DWN reaches the goal to provide each family in the Touloum Camp with a Safe Stove, this program model will be replicated and used in the remaining 11 refugee camps in the region. To date, more than 400 stoves have been provided to this camp.