Nepal ranks 145 on the Human Development Index and nearly 25% of its population lives in poverty

Most households in the districts where the project operates use solid biomass fuel for cooking in traditional cookstoves (~10% thermal efficiency)

More than 88% use firewood with another 10% using dung cake

Each household prior to the project used on average 3.8 tonnes each year of woody biomass

The project disseminates over 15,200 improved cookstoves, helping avoid over 31,000 tCO2e with ~80% being HPN JE-01 ND model (pictured) and 20% being the Greenway Jumbo

Both models have a thermal efficiency of ~30% and an expected operational life of 7 years

The project has partnered with 5 local NGOs while working with district and local cooperatives, cookstove manufacturers and distributors

Without the project, continued usage of traditional, inefficient biomass cookstoves combined with poor ventilation leads to excessive indoor air pollution; a serious health risk for women and children who spend several hours in the kitchen

Replacement of traditional cookstoves with higher efficiency models reduces the exposure of the family members, especially children and women, to indoor air pollution improving health and reducing health-related expenses

The stoves are safer regarding accidental burns and house fires

Using firewood more efficiently means less time spent collecting fuel, providing opportunities to undertake economic, employment and educational activities

Money spent on fuel is reduced, helping the household’s budget

The project reduces firewood and dung cake consumption; this reduced firewood use helps conserve local forests and protect biodiversity while less plant nutrients are lost out of the landscape when less dung cake in burnt

The project trains people appropriately at the local level to provide the households with stove construction

Female stove makers are being trained to the extent possible

The project has created business opportunities for local stakeholders such as suppliers and contractors etc. while helping improve living standards

It creates local employment by employing skilled and unskilled employees for equipment operation and maintenance

Want to know more about Cookstoves, Nepal | VCS2357?

Information about the project has been sourced from the publicly available documents provided here:

https://registry.verra.org/app/projectDetail/VCS/2357

All images are either representative stock images or images supplied by the project