Chimneys / stoves in Chuma & Ayata
LOCATION: 7 communities in the municipality of Chuma and 1 community in the municipality of Ayata
PROJECT PERIOD: August 2006 - 2009
PICTURES: (temporarily not available)
DESCRIPTION: The construction of 300 stoves and chimneys in 8 communities, which carry away the smoke but don’t let in the cold air.
Problem:
Due to the cold climate, the small dwellings in the highlands only have a door but no windows or chimney. However, the families cook inside the house on a wood fire, with the consequence that the thick, unhealthy smoke stays inside. The population lives daily in this smoke and suffers from lung illnesses and a high child mortality.
Solution:
To let the smoke out, it is possible to build a chimney outside the house with a well-shut stove inside. For this purpose, an existing model has been improved by the technicians from Chakana, in cooperation with expert and Indian Don José, who lives in the area himself. Our model of the stove consumes less firewood (which is scarce in the highlands), uses the heath more efficiently and the connection with the external chimney makes it possible to conduct the smoke outside. The construction does not permit the cold air coming in.
The construction mainly needs local materials like sand, pig hair and straw. The non-local material are provided by Chakana. An important role of Chakana is the training in the construction. The coordination is done by a field worker from one of the local villages. The training of the villagers is provided by two facilitators from each community, which take part in the trainings of Chakana and then help their neighbor with the construction of the chimneys.
Result:
The first chimney and stove has been built in august 2006, with the presence of the facilitators from the villages so that they learn how to build them. Furthermore, specialist Don José had come from Puerto Acosta to share his expertise. In the following weeks, the non-local materials have been distributed in the communities to build the chimneys next to each house. Don José will visit each village in the first half of 2007.
In the beginning of 2007, the first 130 chimneys/stoves have been built.
FUNDING: NCDO (1/2), Chakana (1/2)
