Mud Stoves

One of the main environmental issues in Burkina Faso is desertification and deforestation. Due to climate change the Saharan desert continues to increase in size effecting the northern part of Burkina Faso. The Sahalien region continues to expand south, and one way to combat this is through planting trees. The plantation of certain trees are hard in Burkina Faso due to the lack of water and intense sun. Burkina Faso has also experienced an extensive about of deforestation in the past fifty years. Burkina Faso was not blessed with extensive natural resources and has to import a majority of its energry (oil, propane, natural gas). Therefore, families use timber as a source of energy, timber has become scarce in certain areas of Burkina Faso. Timber/wood is very expensive and is normally used inefficiently by the Burkinabe.

Wood is used everyday by Burkinabe women to prepare meals. To heat a casserole dish (pot), a Burkinabe woman will take three rocks and place then in a triangle and then place the pot on top of the three stones. The fire wood is normally placed under the casserole dish in the center of the three rocks. This is very inefficient because you cannot control the temperature of the flames since all three sides are open. A lot of head escapes out of the sides of the three rocks during cooking, which means the women use more and more wood.

Enter Peace Corps volunteers and the know-how to make mud stoves!! PCVs introduce improved stoves (foyer ameliorè) to women groups of Burkina Faso and promote the adoption of appropriate wood-burning technology in Burkinabe villages. Thereby, helping the national problem of desertification; and help decrease the cost of energy (wood) for the Burkinabe. The women also enjoy getting dirty and all of the materials for a mud stove are available in village. Watch as the PCTs make their own mudstoves!!

Mudstoves take two days to make and five days in between the preparation of materials and the actual construction of the stoves.

Nov. 25, 2008: Andre our SED tech instructer shows us how to make the straw into finer/shorter pieces. He then did not allow us to use the manchetee, no fair!!

Nov. 25, 2008: Another group separates manure(cow poop) with their hands and they are enjoying it! L to R: Brittany, Nikki, Kat, and AudryNov. 25, 2008: Karla, Gwen, and Abby breaking up the straw into smaller pieces, this is not fun, we want the manchetee.

Nov. 25, 2008: Adielade taking out her frustration by hammering and chipping away at the big rocks so they are all of a similar size.

Nov. 25, 2008: Aaron and Colin take a break from their hard work to pose like Abercrombie models.

Nov. 25, 2008: Once everything was broken down into smaller pieces we begin the process of making the mud for the mud stoves. The sand is grouped into a pile and water is added. Kat, Sara, and Brittany enjoy getting their feet dirty by stomping in some mud. Women of the village love this part of the process, it was a little harder getting all of us to participate.

Nov. 25, 2008: We continue to stomp stomp in the mud, manure was added and now the small pieces of straw are added. Kirsten, Kat, Chantel, and Aaron say they feel like they are at the spa.

Once all of the 4 ingredients are combined together: sand (building dirt), water, manure and straw; you cover the mixture from the sun so it does not dry and let it sit for 5 days. This allows the mud to get to the proper consistency so it can be used for building.
Nov. 29, 2008: This picture depicts how Burkinabe women normally cook their food i.e. with just three rocks and a marmite (pot). We actually use these bigger rocks as a guide and support for our mud stoves when constructing the stoves. PCV Jen shows Colin

Nov. 29, 2008: Eric and Sara get their hands dirty as they begin to construct their mud stove. See the use of the three big rocks in a triangle.

Nov. 29, 2008: Nikki, Christy, Sara, and Aaron create balls of mud from our mud pile that has been sitting for 5 days; it is all ready to use.

Nov. 29, 2008: Chantel and Ilana begin making out mud stove, 4 mud stoves would be made. See how they use the bigger rocks as construction guides. These big rocks will be enclosed with mud.
Nov. 29, 2008: Eww it is a dirty job but someone has to do it. Amanda and I show off our hands.

Nov. 29, 2008: Annette, Brekke, and Addy with their mud stove. See what it looks like as the mud rises higher.
Nov. 29, 2008: Once you make the mud stove to the proper height you bring the pot back and make sure it will stick in the stove snugly. I am now smoothing down the sides of the mud stove so no cracks are present.
Nov. 29, 2008: Chantel draws some designs on our mud stove. This is also something fun to do with the women of the village.

Nov. 29, 2008: Yummm my hands smells SUPER.

Nov. 29, 2008: Gwen, Armanda, Chantel, Aaron, and Kirsten with our mud stove. It now needs to harden and dry. A door will be cut out and it will be used in a future blog. . . I know you cannot wait!!