Smokeless Ovens

The traditional form of cooking in this area is on three stones – which are usually handed down from a female relative when a girl gets married.  Unfortunately this form of cooking is slow and hazardous – not only does it produce toxic fumes which are inhaled by the women and children but it consumes a lot of wood and children are in danger from the open flames. 

UDS are training people to build a new form of ‘smokeless oven’, using locally available materials.  This is a more sustainable way of cooking – it uses a third less wood, cooks the food quicker and the smoke is channelled outside of the hut. 
 
Women who have switched to using this new technology are delighted – the food tastes better and cooks quicker. Their children can also stay with them in the hut whilst they are cooking and they don't have to worry about their health.  They also spend less time collecting wood which causes less damage to the local environment.

The materials used in building the ovens are free - but it costs about £30 for us to train a person how to build one.

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Betty Mumbwe, in the kitchen of her house, demonstrates her smokeless oven built by the UDS team.  Made from a mixture of termite mound and cut up straw (an excellent insulator), a chimney takes the smoke out of the kitchen – creating a safer, healthier environment for mothers and children than the 3-stone open-fire cooking method traditionally used in this region.

This design also allows two pans to be used together, the food cooks more quickly, can be kept warm – and it uses less than half the firewood of the old method – saving both time and impact on the local environment!