World Connect Ranchito de los Peralta

Year: 2014
Country: Dominican Republic
Project Status: Funded
Impact Sector: Health
Project Investment: $2,167.26

Project Launch:

Ranchito de los Peralta is an agricultural community where households grow food for consumption and primarily cultivate tobacco, cattle, and pigs as sources of income. There are approximately 450 people living in Ranchito de los Peralta, and nearly 90% of households have fogones, traditional three stone open cookstoves that are used primarily by women for cooking meals throughout the day.

The aim of the Hogares Saludables (Healthy Homes) group, a group of mothers and women in Ranchito de los Peralta who are working towards community health in partnership with World Connect, is to promote and provide improved cookstoves in 20 of the community’s poorest households. By training to use, promote, and maintain the Duncan model cookstove, which eliminates the thick layer of indoor smoke generated by a fogon, the women are confident that they can have significant, positive impact on the respiratory and ocular health of their community.

 

Project Update

19 Duncan model stoves have successfully been installed. Community members love their new stoves and have noticed a reduction in indoor smoke, which has benefited their vision and respiratory health. In addition to health benefits, the Duncan model reduces burn accidents because there is less of an open flame. Since the stove uses 30% less firewood, it will also reduce deforestation in the community.

 

Testimonials

"This project is good because the woman and their families won't be exposed to smoke and all of the harmful effects. Before they knew that the smoke was bad for them, but during our workshops, they were informed how and why it impacts them, the children, and the land. I see the pride in the women who have the fogons by how clean they maintain the fogon, they scrub it daily." - Rivkah, Peace Corps Volunteer

 

"I like it because it doesn't emit smoke, like the other fogons. I like it because it cooks more concentrated. I like it because it uses less firewood. I like it because it gives the food a different flavor and because it is modern, I like it." - Mercedes, Project Beneficiary 

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