Improved Cooking Stoves

Many people in rural Nepalese communities are too poor to install stoves. They rely on open fire pits in their main living area to cook and to heat their homes.

These wood fuelled fires produce smoke which collects in the home and so is inhaled causing numerous health problems. Breathing in smoke can cause respiratory infections such as pneumonia, cause cancer and is linked to cataracts, low birth weights and infant mortality.

Worldwide 1.6 million people die each year from this highly preventable problem - a life is lost every 20 seconds.

There is an initiative currently underway in Nepal to educate people about the harmful effects of smoke and training on building better stoves.

In an attempt to addresses gender issues and poverty reduction Women entrepreneurs are encouraged to run training courses and build stoves.

The poor are getting access to this information but do not have the money to build a stove for themselves, that would improve their health and their lives.