Improved or Clean Cookstoves (CC)

Worldwide more than 3.000 million people use solid fuel to cook and, every 20 seconds a person dies because of causes related to this combustion.

In Peru, 2.000.000 families cook using solid fuels at open fire inside the household, and in many case, without ventilation. These gives way for the people to be exposed to smoke, dust and toxic gas generated by the combustion, with a rate that is 10 to 40 times higher to what is recommended by the WHO.

This intra household pollution explains the reason for the considerable incidence of respiratory and acute lung diseases among the rural families in the Andean highlands.

It is possible to improve this situation through the construction and use of improved kitchens that through a chimney eliminates the smoke inside the household.

Certified Improved Cookstoves

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the German Cooperation Agency for Development (GTZ) worked together in a Project for an improved environmental health in Peru, with an improved kitchen prototype known as “inkawasi” that was designed by the Peruvian Engineer José Bernilla.

The improved kitchen, in its various versions, has been certified by SENCICO in order to ensure its efficient functioning, safety and quality. With this kitchen it is possible to:

• Save almost 50 to 60 % of the fuel used.
• Have safe water, as the water is boiled using the same fire used to cook.
• Save the food cooking time (more caloric efficiency)
• Reduce to minimum levels the intra household pollution.

The Program SEMBRANDO provides the required materials (combustion chamber, two burners, chimney and fumes capuche) and trains the ADSs for in the construction of improved kitchens in order for each family to have one available in the house. The provided materials are made in iron to guarantee at least 10 years of durability.