The community cooker is a fine example of ingenuity at its best. Trash is a big problem everywhere, but to get rid of some of the garbage by turning it into energy (fire) which can be used to create more energy (food) for human consumption is pure genius. The manager has the right idea of spreading information to other locals so as to ensure as much community involvement as possible- it is hard to change people’s mindset. Think about it, if you grew up with trash all around you, wouldn’t it seem somewhat normal for it to be there? The Butaro hospital is an inspirational example of what healthcare could be like in countries which have money. Although a combination of private and national funds created the hospital, hopefully the state will take notice of the benefits and continue the process of localizing healthcare. Then the hope would be for states in close proximity to also start doing something similar. As is demonstrated, it does not take much money to do things the right way (energy efficiently) with real results following. There is no reason this should not be a norm in Africa.
The idea of using trash for the community cooker is so simple and yet incredibly innovative. The community in this town is working together to alleviate a problem, that of excess trash, while at the same time creating a cheaper way of cooking. It is beneficial for everyone involved because the streets become cleaner, the people are able to eat for less, and it much less harmful on the environment than burning coal. It is great to see that this community is taking a small, and yet effective step. Of course it will take time before all people are willing to alter their way of living, but I agree with the young woman at the end when she said that it was very good for the community and within 5 to 10 years it will have expanded even more.
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The community cooker is a fine example of ingenuity at its best. Trash is a big problem everywhere, but to get rid of some of the garbage by turning it into energy (fire) which can be used to create more energy (food) for human consumption is pure genius. The manager has the right idea of spreading information to other locals so as to ensure as much community involvement as possible- it is hard to change people’s mindset. Think about it, if you grew up with trash all around you, wouldn’t it seem somewhat normal for it to be there?
The Butaro hospital is an inspirational example of what healthcare could be like in countries which have money. Although a combination of private and national funds created the hospital, hopefully the state will take notice of the benefits and continue the process of localizing healthcare. Then the hope would be for states in close proximity to also start doing something similar. As is demonstrated, it does not take much money to do things the right way (energy efficiently) with real results following. There is no reason this should not be a norm in Africa.
The idea of using trash for the community cooker is so simple and yet incredibly innovative. The community in this town is working together to alleviate a problem, that of excess trash, while at the same time creating a cheaper way of cooking. It is beneficial for everyone involved because the streets become cleaner, the people are able to eat for less, and it much less harmful on the environment than burning coal.
It is great to see that this community is taking a small, and yet effective step. Of course it will take time before all people are willing to alter their way of living, but I agree with the young woman at the end when she said that it was very good for the community and within 5 to 10 years it will have expanded even more.
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