Saraswoti Moktan - with an improved stove and smokehood
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Authors
Prabin Gurung
Issue Date
2016-08
Type
Language
en
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Energy
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Abstract
Saraswoti is 30 years old, she is married to Ram Singh Bal and she has 3 children (1 daughter aged 12 and 2 sons aged 9 and 5). She and her husband are famers and they grow carrots, raddish and potatoes. She sells some of her produce at the most local market, which is 45km away. She manages to grow enough food to feed her family. Farming is seasonal (approximately half the year) so Saraswoti and Ram are labourers for the rest of the year. Their eldest son has an inner ear illness which means that the family spend much of their income on medical care for him, Her small village is home to 18 families. Some of the families were badly affected by the earthquake, in the worst cases their homes were destroyed or it was too dangerous to live in their fragile homes. “After the earthquake we stayed in a tent for 3-4 months.” “We then fixed our house and stayed there until this house was built.” “We had a traditional stove before (a three iron leg stove.) “Before, it was really smokey, I couldn’t see properly. The main problem was fetching the firewood.” “The old stove used twice as much wood.” “To fetch wood, it would take 3 house there and back. Sometimes my husband would go, we’d take it in turns.” “I used to hurt a lot, my eyes were watery.” “When the children were small, they suffered from pneumonia.” “The kids started coughing, they had a fever. At the hospital they told me it was the cold and the smoke.” “The doctor gave me some medicine and told me to keep them warm and away from the smoke.” “I tried to keep them away from the smoke but at times it was hard to.” “I had my children on my back, I had to take care of the family.” “After the earthquake, I was told about smoke hoods.” “I was told that it consumes less firewood, it’s less smokey and food cooks faster.” “We don’t have to worry about smoke now.” Saraswoti’s husband added “We are happy. Before in the old house, it was all black [because of the smoke] We now don’t have to worry.” “I didn’t experience too many problems but my Mother-in-Law has asthma and can’t see properly because she has cataracts. She is 70 years old.” “If someone asked me about the smoke hood, I would say – you don’t have to suffer from the smoke.” “It’s saving time, I now use this time for farming and other chores.” “Before, while studying they were around smoke and would sometimes run away from the house. They can now study in the house because there is no smoke. It’s definitely helping their education.” “We didn’t go to school. I want the children to get a proper education so they can have good jobs.”
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All rights reserved
All rights reserved