Project profile
Environmentally friendly cookstoves for Malawi's population
Support for those affected by Cyclone IdaiIt could be so beautiful here in the small village of Mwalija in southern Malawi. The landscape is picturesque, the land very fertile. But today Mwalija is a ghost town. Of most of the simple houses, only a few foundation walls remain; of others, only a few loose bricks lying around. Until a few weeks ago, around 2,000 people still lived here. But then came Cyclone Idai, one of the most severe tropical storms in the southern hemisphere since weather records began – the residents were left homeless overnight.
- Project type:
- Distribution of cooking stoves
- Location:
- Malawi, South-East Africa
Help for the victims of Cyclone Idai
In total, around 900,000 people in Malawi are affected by the floods. A considerable part of the harvest actually due at this time appears to be lost – disastrous in a country that lives above all from agriculture. After the first emergency supplies, Welthungerhilfe has begun to plan the reconstruction together with the people on the ground.
Energy-saving stoves
By distributing around 2,000 stoves, families who lost all their belongings in the floods can prepare food again. With an average family size of 5 people, Welthungerhilfe is providing for around 10,000 people. Because the stoves are made locally from clay by craftspeople, the local economy is supported at the same time. The model used is far more energy-efficient than traditional stoves, so less wood is consumed and less CO2 is released into the atmosphere.