Giving away energy-saving cookstoves and water purifiers to poor women: practical and meaningful

Baogialai.com.vn

Through the program of offering energy-saving cookstoves and water purifiers, the Central Vietnam Women’s Union (Women’s Union) in collaboration with INTRACO has hand-delivered 38,710 cookstoves and water purifiers to poor and near-poor women members in Gia Lai.

Since being given an energy-saving cookstove, Mrs. Ro Mah Ut (Neh village, Ia Din commune, Duc Co district) has regularly used it and carefully maintained it. Photo: Nhat Hao

As one of 363 poor and near-poor households in the commune who received an energy-saving cookstove, Mrs. Ro Mah Op (Neh village, Ia Din commune, Duc Co district) was very excited. She and her husband had 5 children, but one daughter was disabled and had to stay in bed. The whole family only has 0.5 rods of rice and 1 hectare of cashews, so life is extremely difficult. With the attention of all levels of the Women’s Union in the district, her family’s difficulties were relieved. In particular, recently, she was also given an energy-saving cookstove to help make family activities more convenient. “In the past, I often used a three-legged iron tripod to cook. In October 2022, my family was given an energy-saving cookstove. After a period of use, I found that cooking uses less firewood. Besides, the stove is also compact and has an airtight design, so I often take it with me to the fields to cook for convenience” – Mrs. Op confided.

Similarly, Mrs. Ro Mah Ut (from Neh village) is also very satisfied when it comes to the energy-saving cookstove. According to Mrs. Ut, this type of cookstove can use small firewood when starting a fire, so it is very easy. Furthermore, cooking is also neater and cleaner because the stove is compact and uses less firewood. “The day I was given the stove, I was also told by the Union’s staff that cooking with this stove would reduce toxic gas emissions that affect health and the environment. Therefore, I switched to using this stove instead.” – Mrs. Ut shared.

Mrs. Ro O H’Rin, Chairwoman of the Women’s Union of Duc Co district, said: In the whole district, 3,000 poor and near-poor women member households were given energy-saving cookstoves, and 2,000 households were given water purifiers. After offering the cookstoves and water purifiers, the District Women’s Union coordinated with the Provincial Women’s Union and the Union’s units to organize communication sessions on how to use and preserve as well as explain the benefits of energy-saving cookstoves and water purifiers for human health and the environment.

In Chu Prong district, Mrs. Siu H’Thoan, Chairwoman of the district Women’s Union, said: In 2022, the entire district had 3,000 households given energy-saving cookstoves, mainly poor and near-poor households. The superiority of the stove is that it is easy to use and convenient for moving. In particular, the stove is easy to start, boils quickly, has little smoke, reduces emissions, and saves fuel compared to commonly used three-legged stoves. Through inspection, most member families who were given energy-saving cookstoves were very excited, many households even brought the stoves to the fields to use during the harvest season.

The program has helped many poor, near-poor, and disadvantaged women members improve their living conditions as well as change their awareness of participating in environmental protection. Photo: Nhat Hao

According to Mrs. Ro Cham H’Hong – Chairwoman of the Provincial Women’s Union, the program to donate energy-saving cookstoves and water purifiers was implemented by the Vietnam Women’s Union in collaboration with INTRACO company to support women. Women access programs to improve living conditions as well as participate in environmental protection, contributing to the implementation of the campaign “Building a 5-Withouts, 3-Cleans Family” associated with building new-style rural areas and civilized urban areas. In Gia Lai, the program has personally delivered 38,710 cookstoves and water purifiers to poor and near-poor women members.

“The program is really meaningful for poor member families and members from ethnic minorities and remote areas. With the benefits of energy-saving cookstoves and water purifiers that help improve health, save cooking time, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect the environment, and reduce deforestation, the program has contributed to changing the awareness of women members in participating in environmental protection by saving energy. At the same time, the program helps member families build a tidy and hygienic lifestyle, improve living conditions, and contribute to the effective implementation of the campaign “Building a 5-Withouts, 3-Cleans Family, Contributing to Cultivating Vietnam Family Values” implemented by the Provincial Women’s Union. Currently, the Union is also continuing to survey the needs of women members to propose to the Union Central Committee and INTRACO Company to donate, especially to poor and near-poor households, and households with difficult circumstances that have not yet has a water purifier and are currently using a three-legged stove” – informed by the Chairwoman of the Provincial Women’s Union.

NHAT HAO