Project Description
Zero-energy LifeStraw® Family water filter units and/or Dura high-efficiency cookstoves were distributed directly to 295,794 households across 16 districts in 3 provinces of Rwanda
In 2014, 100,567 households across 7 districts received both the water filters and cookstoves. In 2016 another 195,227 households across all 16 districts received cookstoves only. Each household has on average 4 people
The LifeStraw® Family is a point-of-use water filter that helps people access safe drinking water. It is an instant microbiological purifier that delivers at least 18,000 litres of USEPA-quality drinking water. It reduces the use and demand for firewood for water treatment by boiling, directly leading to reduced CO2 emissions
The Dura is a high-efficiency, family-sized cook stove based on the ‘rocket stove’ concept of operation. These stoves are considerably more efficient than the standard three-stone-fire and reduce the use of non-renewable biomass for cooking. These stoves can achieve a complete burn of combustible materials resulting in little to no smoke, greatly improving indoor air quality
Households with existing running water in their homes only receive cookstoves, but not water filters
Only carbon credits generated from the cookstoves are quantified by the project with credits from the water filters not claimed currently. The annual average emission reductions are estimated to be over 1 million tCO2e
Sustainability Beyond Carbon
Training was provided to Community Health Workers who then provided training to households in the use of the technologies prior to its distribution. Follow-up in-home training was then provided to ensure proper use and maintenance
Cookstoves and safe water projects reduce the use of unsustainably harvested fuel, which:
- reduces the considerable time, effort and risk of injury or violence while collecting fuel
- provides increased time for other tasks, education, employment and economic activity
- decreases the degradation of local forests and the associated impacts on biodiversity
- improves indoor air quality and drinking water supplies
- helps improve health and safety, especially for women and children
