Families in the rural area still use a “
three stones” stove for cooking. This habit has been named “
killer kitchen” by WHO. Among the improved stoves available, we introduced the Peko Pe stove as a mean of health, economical and social development for the population in the area.
What is Peko Pe stove?
The Peko Pe stove is a pyrolytic gasification unit, it belongs to the TLUD-ND (Top Lit Up Draft – Natural Draft). It converts biomass to a smokeless flame for use in cooking and heating. You can use a wide range of different types of biomass, such as corn cobs, chopped wood, a variety of nut shells, straw, etc. which are waste products.
Health benefits + Ecological benefits
The stove, with no smoke flame and reduced CO and PM10 emissions, improves health especially for women and children, reducing child mortality and improving maternal health.
In Chikuni area, like in the rural area of Zambia and other developing countries, more than 80% of the energy demand is covered by firewood or charcoal. The use of charcoal and open three stone fires is an inefficient use of energy. Here there is an abundant amounts of waste biomass: corn cobs, sawdust, chopped wood can be collected for storage, and be an inexpensive year round household fuel.
Economical benefits
The use of Peko Pe stove on large scale can close the unhealthy and polluting business around charcoal and it opens the new business of biomass collection and selling as stove fuel.
Less need of firewood, it means reduced time spent and risks taken for women and children on firewood collection in the bush.
I bought 10 Peko Pe stoves, and at the end of October I gave to ten families to test its compatibility with their needs and resources. Will it work? Will people see and experience the benefits?
Sometimes the most challenge is not to find new solutions, but to change our routine.
