CEDP's first batch of cook stoves ready for use!


On November 24th I accompanied CEDP Central Region Officer Blessings Mbendera to carry out the final part of the cook stove production training for Nzona CBO in the district of Dowa. The journey took around 2 hours from Lilongwe and on route we picked up a Social Sciences student from Chancellors College who was keen to find out more about the Community energy sector together with Janet Msiska from Area 55 Consulting who the CEDP in the Central Region has been working together with to carry out the cook stove training programme.

On arrival we were met by an incredibly enthusiastic cook stove producer group who were singing and dancing in celebration. During the day I discovered that the work involved in the production of a clay cook stove took a great deal of commitment and was overwhelmed by the eagerness of the community to make their social enterprise a success! In this blog I will describe the process of clay cook stove production used by this community from clay selection right through to firing.  

      

Villagers from Nzona CBO in Dowa district surrounding a clay cook stove firing chamber.

Preparing the raw materials

The first stage of cook stove production is to figure where you will get your clay from and decide where your production group will be working from. I discovered that day that extinct ant hills often provide the right quality of soil for producing the cook stoves and after clay analysis from several sites it was discovered that Nzona CBO are fortunate enough to have two sources of clay only ~200m from their production bases.  Given the demand for cook stoves both within the CBO and neighbouring areas it was decided that two production groups be set up in neighbouring villages. Fortunately both are situated close to the clay source.

Despite making it look easy I know that the harvesting of clay is not an easy job. Luckily Blessings has a Nissan pick-up which the community were able to take advantage of to transport the clay from the collection site to where the clay was to be cured. Had we not been there with a vehicle that day I am told that the community would have carried the clay in bags to the production sites.

Members of the energy committee harvesting clay for cook stove production.

In preparation of the clay arriving, a hole had been dug measuring 1m wide x 2m long x 1m deep. Black plastic sheets are then positioned as lining within the hole, the clay is added and covered on top by the sheeting. The purpose of the black plastic sheeting is to act as an impermeable layer so that any living organisms are killed off during the curing process. If this is not done the quality of the clay will be poor and the stoves are likely to crack during the firing process.

Hole being dug which will be lined with black plastic sheeting for curing process.

The process of curing takes 14 days. During the process once every three days water (40 litres approx) is added and mixed in with the clay so that by the end of the curing process the clay is malleable enough to shape into stoves.


Taking shape

Some groups shape the clay stoves by hand, however the approach this community has taken is to use a pedal mould to create standard ‘Chitetezo’ stoves (Chitetezo in Chichewa means Protection). The uptake and roll out of Chitetezo stoves is also being encouraged by the Government of Malawi and the cost of a pedal mould is in the region of 50,000 MK (£100).

A pedal mould for making Chitetezo stoves. The mould comprises of three separate parts, base, cup and pedal.

Once the general shape of the stove has been moulded it its taken out of the mould and a hole is cut at the base which will allow an entry point for fuel. The holes are purposefully kept on the smaller side to encourage use of smaller branches rather than tree trunks, thereby reducing number of trees felled.

Handles are also added manually to the side of the stoves together with three sections on top which allows for pots of different sizes to be used. Small tools made from pieces of wood are used at this stage to ensure even sizing and positioning attachments to the pots. Every pot also has a unique code engraved on it so that a buyer knows where the pot came from. Often the creator adds their name to the base along with their own unique artistic flare - many stoves had patterns engraved around the edge.

One of the first cook stoves produced by Nzona CBO as part of CEDP training.

Once moulded the pots are put in shelter, protected from wind and direct sunlight to partially dry for 1 to 2 weeks. Unfortunately as the group do not yet have a purpose built shelter (this will be funded from the CEDP capital grant once approved) they had to use the tobacco drying sheds which do not have adequate protection from the wind and as a result some of the stoves cracked.

Me with the Dowa cook stove production group in the temporary drying shelter.

Firing the stoves

The stoves that were still intact were then placed in the firing chamber which had been built especially for this purpose. Sizes of firing chambers vary, however the one that were deemed suitable for Nzona CBO were approx 2m in diameter, 1 meter high and took around 5000 bricks to build (half of which were supplied by community contributions). Apparently each chamber is able to hold up to 120 stoves per firing session and there is one at each cook stove producer group.

Before building the structure a hole is dug and a foundation made which comprises a mix of sand and quarry stones (1 wheelbarrow full each, also supplied by the community as part of their contributions towards the project). The main purpose of the foundation is to provide a drainage system for the chamber during the rainy season however it also has the additional benefit of acting as a heat store during the firing process.

The structure is made with openings and channels for wood to be inserted at the base of the chamber. The stoves are stacked on top of one another within the chamber, the top sealed with grass and mud, and only then is the wood added and lit. For a chamber of this size I am told that 1 ton of small branches are required (equal to approx 1 ox cart full). The actual burning of wood takes 6 – 7 hours and you leave the chamber for a day or two until the temperature of the stoves have cooled enough to enable handling.

Inside of the cook stove firing chamber

All that was left to do was take the stoves out from the chamber and start using them.

The first batch that were taken out from the chamber the day I arrived had been produced during the training period and were considered to be a ‘test batch’. These stoves will be dispersed among the cook stove producer group and before the next batch is ready the producer group together with the energy committee have some work to do on their business plan to determine how the stoves will be marketed and sold and at what price.

The retail price of cook stoves such as these within towns and cities in Malawi is currently 1000 Malawi Kwatcha (approx £2). I am told that the producers are unlikely to get more than 500MK per stove produced, however the good news is that demand currently far outweighs supply and so provided they can continue to produce them and have a sound marketing strategy they can continue to sell. The hope is that once all the CBO members have adopted the technology the CBO can work with marketers such as Area 55 consulting who supply retailers and towns and cities. 

I was fortunate enough to buy one of the stoves from the first batch from them... I just hope it makes it through customs!

Georgy Davis arrives in Malawi!

CEDP Programme Manager Georgy Davis has finally arrived in Malawi having battled through lengthy flight delays to get there.

Georgy will spend 6 weeks in Malawi catching up with CEDP Development Officers, the Strategic Energy Partners and other CEDP staff. This is a particularly important time for the CEDP as the 12 Community Based Organisations (CBOs) which the CEDP has been working with are finalising project designs and applications for capital funding will soon be submitted.

Georgy's visit will also give her the opportunity to meet with Edgar Bayani who is setting up and registering a community energy organisation in Malawi and with Martin Ketembo who is developing a community renewable energy toolkit for Malawi. Both pieces of work are vital in ensuring that the wider support network and resources necessary to support community energy in Malawi are in place. Watch this space for updates from Georgy!

Edgar Bayani - Development Coordinator in post!

This has been a very exciting week for the CEDP as the new Community Energy Malawi (working name) Development Coordinator started work on Monday 2nd September. Discussions with Strategic Energy Partners (SEPs) in Malawi had revealed that there was a real need to create a new, independent, nationally based organisation whose remit was to drive the Development of the Community Energy sector in Malawi. This is considered crucial in ensuring continuity for the Programme after March 2014. Edgar's principal role will be to set up and register the organisation which will take forward Community Energy in Malawi.

On starting his new role Edgar said:

'Giving ordinary Malawians a chance to influence policy and have better energy sources is a task for us all but it’s an honour to be tasked with setting foundations for CEM as a means of providing Malawian Communities that chance. Providing sustainable energy solutions is a MUST for Malawi. It is a challenge I am prepared to take with passion because as Donald Trump Said, “without passion, you don’t have energy and without energy, you simply have nothing”'.

We're all really excited to have Edgar on board, welcome to the team!

CEDP Newsletter launched!

The inaugural newsletter has been created and can be accessed on the Community Energy Scotland website here. It is hoped that this will become a bi monthly newsletter with Programme updates as well as interviews from communities involved in the Programme and notifications of upcoming events. Let us know what you would like to see in the next editions!

The End of the Trip

Following the trip to Mzimba and Mzuzu, there have been a handful of meetings to attend before I head home today which has given me some time to think back over the past fortnight. It’s interesting that regardless of the region, all of the communities which I have visited can already visualise the improvements and development opportunities a renewable energy system can bring.

 

Baobab, Dowa district.

 

Malawi is an incredibly friendly and welcoming country that really does deserve it's name of "The Warm Heart of Africa". It’s been a great opportunity to meet with the brilliant DOs who have achieved so much in a short period of time as well as the other CEDP and MREAP partners.

It has also been fascinating to see the number of domestic scale solar installations as you travel through Malawi. It is quite common to see solar panels outside small shops offering a phone/battery charging service or selling refrigerated cold drinks. It is obvious that for those not connected to the grid, solar PV in particular offers real business opportunities for Malawians.

One of the many households I saw with small solar panels which power a light bulb.

 

It has also been interesting to hear of previous renewable energy programmes run by other organisations which have followed a model focussed on gifting a renewable energy system to a community. In these programmes there is often no community contributions, no training on system maintenance or how to develop a business plan to ensure sufficient funds to maintain the system once the NGO has left. This model is what some communities now come to expect from development programmes and it’s really exciting to see the different approach that the CEDP is taking being accepted so warmly by communities. I feel that this is testament to the hard work of the DOs.

Very few of the people that I have met over the last fortnight have wanted a renewable energy system handed to them on a plate. The next few months will see a phase of intensive training with all of the communities followed by the systems being installed in October. The Programme Manager, Georgy Davis, will be out in Malawi during this critical period and I can’t wait to see how the projects progress. From the work that the DOs have done with the communities already, plans are already being made for what will happen once the systems are installed. Watch this space for more updates!

 

To the North

The final phase of my trip saw me head north to Mzimba and Mzuzu, about 400km north of Lilongwe. As I headed north on the bus the landscape became much more vegetated, Brachystegia woodland became more abundant and the air temperature dropped noticeably.

 

Africa's largest plantation on the way to Mzuzu

I was heading north to meet with Sithembile, the Development Officer for the Northern region. We headed out to visit Fwasani CBO (which translates as “be patient”) in the community of Kamiloaza, 45 minutes from Mzimba on roads which seemed to have been made of corrugated iron.

Fwasani have already achieved a lot in their community having already built an orphan training centre, a HIV/AIDS testing and counselling centre and a hostel for out of town students to stay during the week to ensure that everybody has a chance at receiving an education.

Fwasani CBO and the wider community

This community has 2 primary school blocks, several secondary school blocks and a number of administrative/store buildings to support the school. This community places education as key in ensuring a better future for its people.

One of the Secondary school blocks at Kamiloaza

Fruit juice made in the wider community using a solar powered juicing machine and fridge (installation from World Vision)

Sithembile is working with this community to put together an application for a solar PV system at the primary school, the secondary school and at the administrative centre for the CBO. A revenue generating activity is being planned for the CBO admin centre (potentially phone/battery charging) which will ensure that sufficient funds are put aside for maintenance and repairs. Improved cook stoves are also planned for this community.

Sithembile speaking with the Fwasani CBO

 



During the welcome meeting with the community the Group Village Head, Yesaya, outlined some of the expected benefits from installing the PV system. With the electric lighting, students will feel safer in the school. It is also hoped that students will get better grades, the drop-out rate will be lower and that in the future it may be possible to get a computer for the school. They are also hoping that through lighting being available in the evenings, more people will come to the school buildings in the evenings which may give scope for increased access to education for other groups in the community. It's been interesting that some benefits from the system are named by all communities whilst some benefits are only highlighted by one community. Fwasani is the only community was has stated improved access to education for other groups

Paraffin lamps which were used for lighting in the school blocks (now broken).

Solar powered water pumping station installed by World Vision

Everybody that I met in this community was very enthusiastic and obviously motivated to achieving their goal of bringing electricity to the village. This community has already worked with international donors to develop a solar powered water pumping station which provides clean water for the community which has reduced disease in the community. The community has worked hard to make this scheme a success and I am confident that the same enthusiasm will ensure that the solar PV and cook stove projects will also be a success in this community.

 

Water Pumps and Fuel Efficient Stoves

Having travelled back up to Lilongwe with Penny George (Scottish Government) on Saturday, I had Sunday to catch up with emails and plan for the week ahead.  

On Monday I met with Blessings, the CEDP Development Officer for the central region. We spent Monday talking through what Blessings has done to date and confirming what the priorities will be between now and September. Over the next few months, all of the DOs will be involved in intensive training programmes with each of the Community Based Organisations (CBOs) which they are working with ahead of applications for project funding being submitted and projects being installed October/November time. It’s been so interesting being able to talk through the training programmes with the Development Officers and getting a sense for what training is required by communities in Malawi

 

With Kiyembe CBO

 

On Tuesday Blessings and I went to visit a CBO called Kiyembe in the village of Nkanakufa, Dowa District.  When Blessings conducted a needs assessment with this community, the community identified reliable access to clean water as a top priority for their community. Whilst neighbouring villages have clean, closed system bore hole wells, this community collects water from a number of traditional wells.

 

Members of the community next to their primary water source. Local livestock also drink from this pool.

 

A traditional well in the community.

 

Water drawn from these sources is of poor quality. When Blessings asked residents how many people within their family had suffered sickness during the past 2 weeks, over 80% of people answered that somebody in their family had had diarrhoeal disease within the last 2 weeks. With such a high incidence of disease in the community, people frequently have to take time off from work to recover, something which many Malawian families cannot afford to do. 

 

Debris fallen into the well - the wells are open system so are often contaminated.

 

Drawing water from a well in the community.

For this community, the proposed project is a solar powered water pumping facility. When asked what the community hopes to gain from this project, there was unanimous agreement that the community wanted safe drinking water and that having a clean water source within the community would mean a reduced incidence of water borne diseases and less distance to travel to access safe water.

After discussing the water supply for the community we went for lunch at the Chairperson of the CBO’s house and then went on to see some fuel efficient stoves. Within this community (and the wider region), tobacco growing is one of the principle sources of employment and members of a local tobacco farming group have been given fuel efficient cook stoves by tobacco processors. These improved stoves have proved themselves to be highly effective and so many other households have expressed an interest in the stoves.

Central region Development Officer, Blessings, with the Chairperson of Kiyembe CBO and his family.

 

These stoves are of the same model which are being made by Concern Universal, one of the Strategic Energy Partners of MREAP. Penny and I visited one of the sites where the fuel efficient stoves are being produced in Balaka district and we were both quite disappointed that we couldn’t find a way to get one home!

 

 



 

One of the improved cookstoves next to a traditional 3 stone fire used my most Malawian households. 

 

Concern Universal improved cook stove producer group at Phalula, Balaka District

 

The cook stoves being made at Phalula, the producers are having trouble keeping up with demand!

 

There are numerous benefits to using one of these stoves. They use significantly less wood which is of huge benefit in a country which is battling deforestation. They also produce less smoke which produces a healthier cooking environment, due to their heat retaining properties, they can be used to heat homes in cooler weather and using the stoves is far safer than having an open fire (which small children can easily fall into). There is the added social benefit that through using less wood, people don’t have to spend as much time collecting firewood which frees people up to engage in other (potential business) opportunities. All in all, there are multiple benefits to having a fuel efficient stove in your home, I'll have to come back with a bigger rucksack next time!