Guatemala
In February 2008, SHE launched two new pilot projects with Fundación Defensores de la Naturaleza and Asociación Kajih-Jel. In conjunction with the two NGOs, SHE conducted solar cooking trainings to 75 women in two rural villages. The women were impressed with the exceptionally good flavor of the chicken stew, rice, and plantains cooked in the HotPotTM. A micro-credit system will allow participants to amortize HotPot payments over time.

El Salvador
In November 2007, SHE expanded the El Salvador Solar Cooking Initiative to include 350 new families. SHE continues to partner with Asociación Comunitaria Unida por el Agua y la Agricultura (ACUA) in the department of La Libertad. Due to the increase of families participating in the project, its design was changed to include community promoters. The promoters are women that participated in the first year of the project. Now, they teach solar cooking to other women in their communities. SHE also launched pilot projects with two new Salvadoran NGOs, Unidad Ecológica Salvadoreña (UNES) and Asociación de Lisiados de Guerra de El Salvador (ALGES).

The women participating in the program receive a solar cooking training and hold monthly meetings to share solar cooking experience. One group of women participates in a micro-credit payment program. The other group of women participates in a work exchange program: they conduct solar cooking demonstrations in exchange for a HotPot. Additionally, partner organizations hold a technology exchange between local communities to spread the word about solar cooking!

Posted: Spring 2008

Background Information: El Salvador and Guatemala

El Salvador is the most densely populated country in Central America with approximately 6.6 million inhabitants. Although it is not as densely populated, Guatemala has a larger population of 12.4 million. Both countries are growing fast: each has a fertility rate of 3.58 to 4.5 children per woman and a corresponding average growth rate of 2% to 2.6% per year. Approximately 75% of the population relies on burning wood to cook which causes enormous strain on the environment, the economy and on individual health.

El Salvador has suffered 92% loss of its forest cover and currently experiences a deforestation rate of 4.1% per year. In Guatemala, forest cover loss is around 66% with a 2% annual deforestation rate. The heavy use of fuel wood for cooking contributes significantly to ongoing deforestation. As the forests disappear, the lives of the people who depend on wood for cooking fuel become more difficult.

For instance, women and girls are responsible for procuring fuel wood and they must travel farther from home as wood becomes more scarce. This task demands 9 to 20 hours per week and minimizes opportunities to attend school and participate in income-generating activities. In other areas, it is no longer feasible to gather wood. Families in these areas can spend up to 25% of their income to purchase fuel wood.

In addition to the negative environmental and economic impact of fuel wood dependence, women and children suffer from health problems caused by cooking inside small, enclosed kitchens that often lack windows or other ventilation. Women and children inhale toxic smoke for hours a day, the equivalent of two packs of cigarettes a day, according to the WHO.

To alleviate stress on the environment and improve the quality of life SHE is working to introduce the HotPot solar cooking oven.