Berkeley-Darfur Stove

Since 2003, conflict in Darfur has killed at least 300,000 people, forced more than two million people from their homes, and destroyed traditional livelihoods. Many now reside in large displacement camps where they receive food aid but still must gather firewood to cook their meals. In response, women must either walk up to seven hours to find a single tree, risking assault every step of the way…or purchase wood from vendors, by selling the very food they need to feed their families. In response to this crisis, Potential Energy has developed and distributed more than 27,000 fuel-efficient wood-burning cookstoves to women in Darfur – easing their financial burden, diminishing their families’ exposure to smoke, reducing the carbon impact on the planet, and reducing their exposure to violence while collecting wood. The stoves were designed in collaboration with displaced women in Darfur, which ensured that the stove met their needs and led to our high adoption rates of nearly 100%.

The Berkeley-Darfur Stove is designed through our partnership with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. We continue to iterate the stove in response to feedback from Darfuri women. We work with Oxfam America (an international relief and development organization) to secure Sudanese government permissions and negotiate tariffs, and Plan Canada/Plan Sudan (an international NGO) for local operational expertise. We contract with Shri Hari Industries, an Indian parts manufacturer, to manufacture stove flat-kits, which are then shipped to Port Sudan. This manufacturing approach keeps transportation costs low and quality high. Our local partner, Sustainable Action Group (SAG, a registered Sudanese charity) collects the flat kits and brings them overland to El Fasher, Darfur, where they manage stove assembly, distribution, training and evaluation. Local assembly creates business opportunities for SAG, economic opportunities for local Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and Women’s Development Associations (WDAs), and employment opportunities for local displaced people.

Publicly available: yes
Countries where available: Sudan (soon Ethiopia)
Price range (USD): 1 to 20 USD
Offered or can be licensed for local manufacture: Must contact Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Countries where spare parts can be purchased: Sudan

Weight: 5.5 kg