How does the ECOCA contribute to conservation of life on land?

 

 

Traditional cooking on open stoves with wood-fuel requires collection of firewood. In order to cover the amounts needed for daily cooking demand that local communities in some parts of the world need, this means deforestation in the areas.

Trees are cut down, causing animals to lose their natural habitat and large areas turn into deserted landscapes.

Furthermore, the burning of firewood and other fossil fuels used for cooking purposes releases smoke containing toxic particles and CO2, which heavily contributes to climate change.

 

The ECOCA presents a solution to this issue as it does not cause any CO2 emissions due to being run on solar energy. The energy supplied by the solar panel is sufficient to cook three meals a day for an entire family without relying on any fossil fuels such as charcoal or firewood. 
The negative impacts on climate, health and local fauna are hereby avoided and clean and healthy cooking for all live on land is achieved.

How does the ECOCA contribute to quality education?

 

Sustainable Development Goal Nr. 4 as formulated by the Untited Nations aims to “Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote life long learning”. (SDG tracker) 

 

Though the connection between solar cooking and access for children to primary / secondary school may seem like a far stretch at first, there are clear relations for refugee families between having access to an ECOCA solar electric cookstove and sending their children to school. 

 

Basic literacy and numeracy skills are the cornerstones for development, both personally and for society. Being able to read and write as the outcome of basic primary education is necessary to be eligible for jobs, stay informed about current developments, and keep track of ones personal journals, contracts and income. Although globally literacy among all age groups has increased significantly over the past decades, still 14% of the worlds population, mainly central African countries, especially women and girls lack access to education. (ourworld in data) 

 

Since conventional cooking methods used by refugee families in Uganda and other central African countries take up a lot of tangible and intangible resources, there are several ways in which switching to an ECOCA solar electric cookstove contributes to the overall goal of making basic education available for every child:  

 

1.Time saved from collecting firewood – children have the time to attend class 

When switching from cooking over open fire to the ECOCA solar cookstove, no collection of firewood is necessary, saving families an average 7.25 hours weekly from fetching firewood. 
As it is common that children participate in collecting firewood, they are often not able to attend class, which results in lacking behind in school which in turn leads to missing out on lectures even more. 

By saving this significant amount of time each week, children can instead attend class and keep on track with both school work as well as be around fellow students.  

 

2. Money saved – parents can afford sending their children to school 

School materials and education after primary school can be very costly and being able to afford them is a determining factor for the future and education of many children. 

Expenditures saved from buying firewood / charcoal, as well as additional income generated through jobs attended especially by females instead of collecting firewood or running the household the entire day, can be spent on education for children. 

 

3. Lighting homes at night – possibility to study after dark 

As the ECOCA solar cookstove comes with a light bulb and torch that can be charged directly from the stove, families can light their homes at night, making it possible for children to read and study also after sunset. 

 

Through the combined benefits explained above, the ECOCA can be said to contribute to factors that promote SDG indicator 4.1.1 “Achieving proficiencyin reading and mathematics” by increasing the “proportion of children and young people in grades 2/3 at the end of primary; and at the end of secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics by sex”, as well as indicator 4.2. “Equal access to quality pre-primary education”, and 4.6. “Universal literacy and numeracy”. 

 

References:

SDG Tracker

Our World in Data

 

 

Promoting Good Health & Well-Being through access to Clean Cooking

 

The UN Sustainable Development Goals target a number of factors in their third Goal “Good Health and Wellbeing”. Among other indicators, the goal includes expanding overall life expectancy, eradicating most common causes for diseases and promoting access to clean water, sanitation and medical aid. (SDG tracker)

In Uganda, numbers of deaths caused by “non-communicable” diseases like cancer and chronic respiratory diseases remain high, as more than 21% of the entire populations deaths are caused or attributed to such disease. (SDG tracker, 2019)

 

 

How does the ECOCA contribute to SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being?

 

Traditional cooking methods in refugee settlements in Uganda most commonly rely on cooking over open fire by burning firewood, charcoal, other flamable materials or smaller stoves powered by gas. These means of cooking cause smoke and gases released into the air, causing earlier described diseases. Furthermore, as many families also cook inside their homes, poisonous smoke is contained inside, constantly being inhaled by family members.

 

The ECOCA electric solar cookstove is powered by a solar panel, therefore cooking with the electric kitchen unit does not require any fossil fuels, charcoal or gas to heat the pot. This completely eradicates toxic smoke and gases released into the air. Through this clean, innovative mode of cooking, a change to the ECOCA solar cookstove specifically contributes to indicator 3.4.1 is the mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease.

 

By reducing peoples’ exposure to smoke from burning firewood through the use of the ECOCA, they reportedly experience less pain in their eyes, throat and on the skin. This ultimately relates to less infections with diseases like (lung-)cancer, and other chronic respiratory illnesses.

 

Another important point for better health through switching to a solar-powered electric cookstove is the prevention of neck, muscular, or other injuries and chronic diseases caused by carrying heavy loads of firewood over extended distances in very hot climate.

 

By collecting firewood needed for conventional cooking over open fire, especially women have to take upon themselves these physical burdens several times a week, causing neck and back pain and injuries, as well as a high risk of getting into road accidents or rape attacks when walking these long distances.

 

By fully eradicating the need to collect firewood for cooking, the ECOCA avoids these risks, thereby adding to target 3.6. “Reduce road injuries and deaths” (SDG tracker), as well as reducing sexual assault on women.