What a fantastic way of wrapping up 2017, with the awarding of $100,000 from the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) for Simoshi's project "Improving household clean cooking through school consolidated networks". Under the Clean Cooking Window's Renewable Energy Challenge Fund (RECF), UNDCF will be co-investing in Simoshi's project and efforts as it aims to close the communication gap on household clean cooking. For the next 18 months, we will be promoting the existing energy efficient cooking technology used in schools to further disseminate that same knowledge to the students' households, building on the existing relationship of trust. We look forward to updating you on all the progress made as we get the project kick-off this month.
Time for Free Maintenance
That time of the year has come when schools finalise Term III and go off for their well deserved 2-month holiday. Which means school kitchens are closed, an ideal time for us to perform the free annual maintenance on all institutional improved cook stoves (ICCS).
Throughout the month of November, our team has visited all the schools and made a quality assessment on the condition of all operating IICS. This has helped us in organisisng maintenance activities taking place during December and January. Some IICS can be maintained on site at each kitchen, others in need of more serious repairs are collected and taken to the factory for their annual service.
We have got schools already operating their IICS for the third consecutive year. And they are performing just like the first day, making the same firewood savings throughout all of this time. This has been achieved because not only because the IICS have received annual maintenance but also because the kitchen staff has been continuously trained and assessed on how to best operate the stoves.
Uganda's Climate Finance Landscape
Last week we had the pleasure to attend ACTADE's Private Sector Forum - Energy for Green Growth" with the aim of sharing knowledge and lessons learned on scaling up off-grid and energy efficient solutions. This was a great opportunity to meet new players in the sector and continue to close the communication gap as more organisations are quickly joining the fight on climate change.
Sharing Knowledge on Waste Management
Elke de Taeye, from Belgium, is on her 3rd year of her bachelor degree in social work. She is currently doing an internship with the NGO Humasol, with a focus on implementing environmental education in schools, and raising awareness on waste management.
Elke has started a one month project with Namungoona Kigobe, a KCCA supported school, that is already using the institutional improved cook stoves in their kitchen. We have welcomed her knowledge sharing and look forward to the school teachers views as the project is finalised.
Loaded!
As we await for the purchase of our boda (local word for bike here in Kampala), we are making improved cook stove deliveries to schools, as orders are flooding in. Blessings to our staff for putting up graciously with such events, and our boda driver Matthew.
Uganda Climate Change Symposium
On Thursday we participated at the Uganda Climate Change Symposium, organised by the MInistry of Water Climate Change Department, and NTV under the theme "A climate smart Uganda, a proud Ugandan" at the Kampala Serena hotel. It was a great opportunity to share debate, dialogue and engage with other stakeholders as government and the private sector work together to ensure a harmonised approach towards a climate-resilient and low-carbon path for Uganda.
Thus symposium explored opportunities in climate change and how they could be utilised to enhance Uganda's transformative economic growth and development agenda. We welcome this type of initiative and were glad to see government, private sector, development partners and CSOs all working together towards achieving a sustainable approach in agriculture, water management and natural resources.
Simoshi's exhibition space during the symposium
Guest of Honor at Science Fair
What a great way to kick-off October by receiving the invitation from Kabowa Church of Uganda Primary School to become the guest of honor during their second Science Fair. We have enjoyed watching the children (aged 6 to 12) proudly share their scientific knowledge!
Kabowa Churcg of Uganda Primary School was founded by Kabowa Church of Uganda in 1952. Mrs. Mary Kintu and Ms Ssonko, teachers and members of the church developed and idea of founding a school. They started with one boy and two girls under a mango tree beside the old church building (a tree that is still standing).
In 2004 the school befell a disaster under heavy rainfall and five classrooms collapsed. KCCA constructed a storied block of seven classrooms, office and a library with water borne toilets.
The Science Fair was also an opportunity for the school to officially inaugurate the new kitchen and institutional improved cook stoves donated by KCCA and Expertise France and the 1,000 litres water tank donated by 3Z Foundation.
School Workshop
Last Friday we invited all participating schools to the workshop that took place at GRACES restaurant in Lubowa. The meeting's objective was (i) to reinforce all lessons learned on school's experiences using the institutional improved cook stoves (IICS) in their kitchens and (ii) to introduce a new project soon to be launched by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (more information to be posted soon).
The different presentations from SImoshi and Ugastove were enjoyed by an engaged audience, and many school representatives had great experiences to share. Some of our slides focused on ensuring that the holistic approach Simoshi implements in the kitchen environment is well understood so we can collaborate towards a smooth joint implementation. Training of the kitchen staff, firewood storage, free annual maintenance events and kitchen hygiene were some of the topics discussed.
We looked at the progress made to date with the registered project activity with the Clean Development Mechanism and the Gold Standard and review the concept behind carbon dioxide emission reductions and how future revenues accrued from the sale of carbon credits will support all IICS related maintenance costs, between other.
Our New Team Member
We welcome our new Project Officer, Mrs. Lazia Babra Nalumansi to the team. Today Conrad will be leading the training as he introduces Babra to her cluster of schools she will be closely monitoring in the future. We look forward to sharing her stories from the ground.
Babra and Conrad ready for action!
Amazing School Events
We are very lucky to be invited to School Competitions, and have the privilege to see the children perform. This time, the special event took place at Kitebi Secondary School, with a delicious lunch served for everyone. So many guests are invited, that the kitchen cannot cope with the institutional improved cook stoves to prepare the food for such high number of people.
During such events, extra 3-stone fires had to be set outside the kitchen area to ensure food is ready for everyone on time. Fortunately, these unusual inefficient cooking days only happen three times a year!
Together We Can
This week we had a wrap up meeting with the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) on the results accrued so far from the installation of institutional improved cook stoves (IICS) in 15 KCCA primary schools. Findings included successful reductions of firewood consumption, emissions of carbon dioxide, improvements in air quality, and positive behavioral changes towards hygiene and sanitation, just to mention a few.
We had a pleasant surprise and had been honored to receive a certificate of appreciation from the Director of Education and Social Services Mrs. Juliet Namuddu Nambifor the technical support provided to such project. We are committed to continue with our join efforts in bringing cleaner cooking environments to all 79 KCCA supported schools.
With the Director of Education and Social Services Mrs. Juliet Namuddu Nambi and the Manager of Business Development and Research Mr. Edison Masereka
Appreciations Are Always Welcomed
We love to share letters of appreciation coming from schools that have been lucky beneficiaries of the institutional improved cook stoves (IICS). This time the Kampala Capital City Authority public school Kabowa Church of Uganda extended their gratitude for the donation from the French Government and the benefits perceived so far in their new kitchen. This is again another fantastic example of a school moving away from traditional 3-stone fires, now achieving firewood savings of up to USD 300 per term.
Mrs. Sarah Baziwe, school Headmistress in the new kitchen.
Our Biggest School
Kitebi Secondary School is located in Kampala district. With over 3,000 children, it is the school with the highest population that has so far been included under the Project Activity.
The kitchen has made an amazing transformation moving away from using traditional 3 stone fires for their cooking needs. Today the school saves over USD 1,000 per year on firewood purchases. This is an amazing saving for a public school. Such achievement would have not been possible without the enthusiasm and collaboration from the Head teacher Hajji and the Deputy Maureen.
The Consequences of Lack of Maintenance
Simoshi takes pride in promoting the maintenance activities performed on all institutional improved cook stoves (IICS) installed under its Project Activity. Every participating school enjoys free annual maintenance on every IICS.
Unfortunately, the maintenance habit is lacking in schools that made huge investments in the past by purchasing IICS for their kitchens. We continuously experience the disappointment from school officials that complain how the IICS deteriorate over time and the schools expenditure go back to unsustainable amounts of firewood consumed per term, just as they did before with their traditional stoves.
Moreover, when schools attempt to repair the IICS, the cost for doing so becomes too high to afford. To make things even worse, the prospect of having to confront such expenses every now and then, leaves school officials wondering if it is really worth it investing in the technology, considering the costs to be incurred in the future.
Simoshi tackles the maintenance problem by ensuring the IICS are continuously monitored and maintained at least once a year, ensuring the damages are contained and the maintenance costs are kept low before damages become too serious reaching the pricey core parts of the IICS. The cost for implementing the maintenance programme is supported through the benefits accrued from the sale of carbon credits.
An example of a primary school in MItyana experiencing huge firewood expenditures with their IICS due to lack of maintenance.
In Smaller Versions for Homes
Over the past two years Simoshi has changed and sustained the cooking habits in 40 schools in Uganda, through its registered Project Activity with the Clean Development Mechanism and The Gold Standard “Institutional Improved Cook Stoves for Schools and Institutions in Uganda”. The use of social innovation and new technologies implemented in schools through the use of an institutional improved cook stove (IICS) over time provides an added value, especially when addressing the younger generation. Children spend a large part of their time in school.
We aim to develop a marketing channel through the existing school audience, addressing the benefits of clean, efficient, affordable, high-quality and durable cooking solutions to build the perception, motivation and behavior for the children to transfer that knowledge back to their households, hence changing social behavior towards more efficient cooking practices by adopting an improved cook stove (ICS), in the same way this has been achieved in schools kitchens.
We are currently running a pilot project introducing the new Ugastove Dual Fuel ICS in some of our participating schools, learning from teachers and best ways on approaching parents, to ensure ICS are available to all.
St. Paul Buloba Primary School, last week, picking a lot of interest from the female teachers, but our only gentleman looking away :)
Dry Firewood Equally Important
Consuming dry firewood in an institutional improved cook stoves (IICS) is acrucial aspect when aiming at achieving the highest fuel savings. Firewood does not always contain the same amount of energy and the main reason is the water stored in it. Fresh firewood has a 50% water content when chopped from the tree and it can take several months to dry. After 12 months under appropriate drying conditions, the water content lowers to 15% and the energy values double!
That is why our Project Officers take a lot of time teaching schools how to best store firewood, and what to look for when engaging with suppliers. We have developed the "Firewood Best Practice Manual" and we are happy to see how schools have slowly incorporated the concepts and made amazing changes with storage. Here we share some pictures from the progress made at Namungoona Kigobe Primary School.
Another Amazing Kitchen Transformation
St. Paul Buloba is a small catholic public primary school located outside Kampala, in a beautiful rural set-up. When we first visited the school early 2016, they were cooking - like the majority of schools in Uganda - with 3-stone fires in the outside, under a simple shelter. When rain was strong, there was no food cooked for the day.
As we moved in working with the school with the institutional improved cook stoves (IICS), Margaret, the Head Teacher, made huge financial efforts to get a nice kitchen infrastructure up to accommodate the new IICS. Today, they are proud to show us around their new kitchen infrastructure, with shelves that store dry wood and a clean and healthy environment. It is an inspiration to see how this school has managed an incredible change with such small resources.
Quality Assurance and Control a Top Priority
At Simoshi, we take it very seriously when it comes to ensuring the highest product standards are delivered to our customers. Together with Ugastove (our improved cook stove manufacturer supplier) we have put processes in place during the different manufacturing stages to check on the quality of materials used, and standarised processes involved.
Improved cook stoves are also tested periodically at accredited laboratories for fuel efficiency and safety, while materials used for insulation (such as mica and clay) are tested at the Uganda Industrial Research Institute for allumina contents and quality levels of insulation.
Inspection time during a Quality Assurance and Quality Control session at Ugastove
Training of Stove Manufacturers
Simoshi follows strict quality procedures with the institutional improved cook stoves (IICS) it distributes. As such, it conducts periodic training to all of its suppliers of IICS, following the Quality Assurance and Quality Control Manual.
Today we were at Uganda Stove Manufacturing Limited (Ugastove) meeting with the team, each specialising in different activities (welding, assembling, cladding, insulation, operations) to make sure the standards for manufacturing, delivery and installation of the IICS are followed. Below we are sharing some pictures of this session.
We are now a registered Project Activity!
It is with great pleasure we would like to share the news that our Project Activity "Institutional Improved Cook Stoves for Schools and Institutions in Uganda" (10345) has been formally registered with the UNFCCC Clean Development Mechanism on the 7 February 2017.
Details of the project activity can be found here.
Such hard work and dedication was put into this project and would have never been possible with the help from many team members, technical experts, auditors and friends.
Follow us closely as we make progress with changing the traditional cooking practices of schools in Uganda!