This article was contributed by Nick Kershaw, founder of Impact Marathon Series.
Fuel-efficient stoves don’t sound like the most exciting, revolutionary or particularly interesting of topics, but they have results more incredible than you might believe.
The advent of democracy in Malawi had one rather unexpected result: Up until 1994, the forests of Malawi were protected under President Hasting. The arrival of democracy heralded an era where many felt they had the freedom to do as they wished with the land. In the past 17 years huge areas of the forest have been cut down, both to provide space for farming and for fuel. Now, it is rare to see a single tree around south and central Malawi.
Malawi used to be a country of endless forests, but with the population doubling every 25 years and 95% relying on wood for fuel, the country has seen a dramatic decrease in its tree life in a very short period of time.
By educating the community on the importance of environmental conservation, and training members to make these fuel efficient stoves for the villages, the Naturally Africa Foundation have allowed families to go from using and average to 3 bundles of wood per week to just 1.
The initial phase of the projects has seen 1,400 homes receive one of the stoves. This not only will save over 2000 bundles of wood a week in each village but also brings tremendous health benefits to the communities. A dramatic decrease in harmful smoke produced will see a reduction in eye and respiratory problems, while a need for less wood will save valuable time and energy for people already struggling with poverty.
The Impact Marathon Series will soon be arriving in Malawi and working directly with the Naturally Africa Foundation in this amazing project. To join them and get hands-on with the incredible work, head over to www.marathonmalawi.com
Take action and win tickets to the 2016 Global Citizen Festival by sending a tweet to Prime Minister Modi asking him to invest more in clean cooking too.