How $30 Can Change the Life of A Woman in Darfur 

CHF's community-driven approach to relief and development ensures that the solutions we introduce serve to empower vulnerable people to build better lives for themselves. Living in relief camps scattered throughout Darfur, Sudan, desperate families are struggling to survive as they wait for the day they can return to their villages, to their peaceful lives as farmers and entrepreneurs. CHF's Darfur Fuel-Efficient Stoves Project is one such program. Your contribution can help this program going.

Meet Halima:

Halima (above) came to the camp three years ago with her husband and 6 children. She received a fuel-efficient stove in June 2007. The new stove model meant that she was able to reduce her expenses on fuel-wood by two-thirds. Her household savings immediately saw a dramatic increase. By the end of the third week, she could afford school uniforms and books for two of her children. By the second month she had enough capital to start a small business selling charcoal.

Today, Halima's family is living a much healthier life--she can afford to feed them meat 3-4 times a week and can buy more fresh fruits and vegetables. Halima says her best advice for women who have a stove is to save the money well, and use it to improve quality of life for their families.

Meet Gisma:

23-year-old Gisma Ahmed Adam (pictured above) became a resident of Otash camp when she was only 19. Four years have passed since Gisma and her two small children had to flee their homes and move to Otash camp which is home to over 40,000 displaced Darfurians and is one of several camps where CHF is operating to assist vulnerable displaced families.

Gisma obtained a Darfur Fuel-Efficient Stove from CHF Internaional six months ago and immediately noticed a difference in the amount of firewood that is saved by using the new metal stove. Gisma says that she used to spend 50 cents a day to prepare meals for her family with the traditional three-stone fire. Now, she spends a third of that amount, and she saves at least 30 minutes preparing meals with the new stove. With that saved time, she has more time to devote to caring for her children, gathering water, and farming for food and income. 

When the CHF staff visited Gisma on February 22, 2008, she prepared some tea for us to show how quickly the water would boil (pictured below). The entire process, from building the fire with small sticks of fodder wood to boiling the water for the tea took 5 minutes. Gisma smiled brightly and offered the tea. "You see," she said, "because of this new stove I am saving a lot of time, and my time is valuable."