260513, Cook Stoves For Africa

Smoke costs 1.9 million lives a year, nearly double that of malaria.  One of the leading causes of death for women and small children. And I'm not talking about cigarette smoke.  Across Africa, millions of women in rural areas spend hours every day exposed to the smoke from their cooking fires.  Inhaling of smoke causes lung and heart diseases and many rural  people die, probably not even knowing why.  Other than that, forests are disappearing because of the amount of  wood needed to fuel these cooking fires.

Recently I have been getting involved with a company called 'Global Eco projects' that has developed a cooking stove that needs significantly less wood and at the same time greatly reduces carbon emissions.

The distribution of the stoves has started recently in the OR Thambo District Municipality  of the Eastern Cape (which is where I am) with an initial pilot project of 30 000 stoves.  I've had the privilege to join Kate (SA Operations Manager for Cookstoves for Africa) on some home visits to see how the people are getting on with the new stoves.  The feedback is indeed very positive and people have already been using much less wood than before.  The 'istovu' also seems to be replacing the paraffin stoves that are used in most homes.  

This is a very exciting project that is still going to save many lives as well as many trees!

For more, check out:

www.cookstovesforafrica.com 

Using the new cook stove

the 'istovu'

On a home visit with one of the new users of the stove

150513, Tea with Beate

At Beate's birthday tea in the village.

150513, New Montessori School Coffee Bay

Last week I had the privilege to help out for two days at the new Montessori School (Ikhaya Labantwana) in Coffee Bay, while some of the other teachers were receiving their training. Previously the Montessori school was much smaller but the new school which opened its doors just a few weeks ago, already has about 30 kids attending. 

I had loads of fun and was happy to spend time with my little friends, some of whom I've already known for a while from around Coffee Bay and the Reading Hut.  Personally I think this school is one of the best things that exist around here.  These kids are learning so much and already have such a high step up in an otherwise very sad educational system.  There are four year olds here who can already put letters together to form words whilst I daily spend time with 9 year olds from the regular public schools around, who still don't know the complete alphabet!  

I really believe that to make a change in the education of a nation (that has lagged behind for too long because of apartheid, poverty etc.) the best place to start is with the little ones and laying for them a solid foundation.  This is what's being done here.

Well done to the magnificently passionate Dawn Brochenin and all her hard work together with those who helped her make this school a possibility!  May the futures of these little ones be blessed.

050505, The fall and rise of the Umtata river bridge

Last week Sunday:

These pics were taken last week Sunday, a week after the flood destroyed part of the bridge.  It is said that the water flooded 3m over the bridge and the debris was still there to prove it.

Here is the bridge from the side that got disconnected to the road

People had to pay R5 for the privilege to use this ladder so that they could get up or down from the bridge to reach the other side.

The debris that got stuck on the bridge

From a distance you can see the debris and on the left where the bridge collapsed

This week Sunday:

This was today, the bridge has been fixed in a week! 

Now we can get to Umdumbi again yay!!