HECAC improved oven programe

Back ground:

Last year, Himlayan Environmental and Cultural Awareness Center (HECAC) got many environmental concerned proposals from different parts of remote villages. To scan these proposals HECAC had formed 'a Proposals Selection Committee'(PSC) including five professional members under the chairmanship of HECAC chairman Mr. Bishnu Prasad Subedi.

HECAC coordinator also made the field visit in concerned places . After studying of the all different proposals and field visit in various places, HECAC Proposal Selection Committee (PSC) selected "an improved oven project" which was submitted by Salang Village (Dhading District) Development Committee (V.D.C) Ward no 4.

Introduction of Salang V.D.C (4)

Salang is V.D.C. Situated in Dhading district, just 75km away to the west from the capital city of Nepal. It is a rural Village. Most of the people who live here are poor, back warded, low economic conditions with low literacy rate. It is a hilly area where people's basic needs has not been fulfilled and no connections with cities life yet. Most of the villagers are still struggling their two meals per day and isolated from the modern civilization.

Most of the people never travel in the cities, and spend their life traditionally within their own circle. There is basic school however important of education and environmental awareness are still not found in practical. Though they have their own beautiful life style and cultural, they do not know what is the best for themselves. Simple and very friendly people with very kind in their nature, passed generation to generation without much change. Kamala Bari (village) has 35 houses with approx. 200 people living, gives simply glimpse of stone age.

Facts found in process of proposal selection:

In process of selecting these proposals, HECAC coordinator had not made only a field visit, but he also met the needy villagers face to face to find reality in a sense of selecting better one among various environmental proposals we received. We found the following fact from his visit in Salang Village

• Almost every villgers are dependent upon the fire woods for their cooking which are directly collected from nearby forest.
  
• It is being pretty fruitful to all villagers who will get better outputs from its better performance if the project will be implemented.
  
• This project helps to protect the forest. By this improved oven, it reduce 50% less fire woods in cooking than traditional oven.
  
• Since every year they cut trees for fire woods, it has causes deforestation landslide, unnatural changes in climate. These problems are being common problem in Nepalese villages.
  
• Due to lack of Improve Oven, most of the villagers have been encountering by environmental born problems.

Benefits of the Project:

• Assist to avoid health hazard such as asthma, tuberculoses due to it produce less smoke rather than traditional ovens.
  
• It reduce 50% less fire woods in cooking than traditional oven.
  
• Help to prepare food items quickly than in traditional oven
  
• It is better, and comfortable for cooking
  
• Assist to improve the healthy environment in the village
  
• Keeps house clean and hygienic and save the global environment    

Understanding from these above mentions genius reasons, HECAC Proposal Selection Committee had come to conclusion to launch the Improved Oven Making Project hiring the local Improved Oven Making Technician Ms.Sumitra Thapa Magar for a month.

Ms Sumitra managed to make 18 improved ovens in 18 houses in Salang V.D.C 4 (Kamala Bari) under the direction of HECAC coordinator.

This is HECAC on going project, and have decided to extend this program in the Dhading district as well as more districts in the country.

Recently, HECAC volunteers Mrs. Katharina Loosli and Mrs. Annelies from Switzerland had made a field visit and met the villagers to observe the results of HECAC IMPROVED OVEN PROGRAME. They also to participate in making more improve oven with help of Ms Sumrita.

Click here to read Annelies Mettler and Katharina Loosli, (Switzerland)'s report about Improved Oven project in Salang VDC.