The Apron Project – Maputo, Mozambique
Through a partnership with Gadhia Solar, AMF has developed a replicable training program introducing solar ovens with related microcredit enterprises to the women of Mozambique.
Apron Project Summary Brochure
What if you had less then a dollar a day to feed your family but couldn’t afford the wood to cook it? That is the harsh reality of women living across Africa. Many women who cannot afford to buy the firewood walk several miles in rugged terrain to gather wood for cooking. This can take up much of their day, allowing little time for income generating activities. By introducing solar ovens, families are able to save money and time while also reducing smoke affects on health and their carbon footprint.
AMF's Apron Project offers a solution to this crisis through a replicable training program introducing solar ovens with related microcredit enterprises to women in Mozambique. By introducing solar ovens, families are able to save money and time while also reducing smoke affects on their health and carbon footprint. Through a integrated microcredit program, the solar ovens provide families with new income generating activities including drying of vegetables, baking cakes and frying of chicken to be sold in the local market.
Solar Statistics:
• 1.5 billion worry daily about gathering their firewood requirement.
• Purchasing firewood can cost 40% of a family income. Sometimes costing as much as to fill their cooking pot.
• Cooking on open fires affects eyes and lungs. Smoke is the third largest killer in the world.
• Cooking on open fires releases carbon dioxide in the air. This leads to Global Warming and Green House Effect.
As a commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative, the project will create a sustainable and replicable training program of solar ovens and microcredit enterprises. View the commitment, click here.
The Apron Project pilot group has been selected with the help of grassroots partner, Reencontro. Through extensive interviews, these women have been chosen to be the first beneficiaries of the program. We look forward to expanding the program in 2011. Meet the women of the Apron Project below. We hope you join us in bringing solar ovens to Africa!
Constancia Machava
•47 years old
• No husband
– He left for South Africa in 1984 and
never returned
• Sells second hand clothes by
going throughout the
neighborhood on home to home
visits
• She supports 2 children on $2.70
a day
The Apron Project
• The income from the project will allow her to finish her house, improve
nutrition for her family, and allow the children to continue their
education
Emilia Magaia
• 36 years old
• Widow
• Sells firewood, charcoal, matches
earning $2.05 a day
• Supporting 5 children
– Only 4 are able to attend school
• The income from the project will allow
her to build a better house, send all
her children to school with uniforms,
and improve general living standards
Lidia Matusse
• 46 years old
• Widow
• Supporting 6 children
– All are in school
• Suffered from T.B. in 2003
• Sells peanuts in the market
• Makes around $4 a day
• The income from the project
will allow her to pay for school
uniforms and offer more
opportunities to her children
Elsa Filimone
• 40 years old
• Has a husband who does not
work
• Supporting 3 children
– All are attending school
• Sells carrots and tomatoes from
her garden in the market
• Income of $5.25 a day
The Apron Project
• The money from the project will help a lot with providing
clothes, food, school fees, etc.
She would like to use the solar
cooker to bake cakes. Elsa used
to have a small business of
making cakes, she had to shut it
down because of a lack of
funds.
If give then chance with the
cooker, she could again bake
cakes and sell to a list of clients
she has from her old business.
Assa Belarmino
• 44 years old
• Widow
• Supporting 2 children
– Not enough money to send both to
school. Because of government
restrictions, she has to send them
to private institutions and can not
afford the fees
• Living only off of the small
income from Reencontro
• She is very interested in
starting a small business and
would like to use the solar
cooker to bake cakes
Eunice Bahule
• 35 years old
• Divorced
• Supporting her child and
niece
• Sells small cookies from her
home
• Lives on less then $1 a day
from small Reencontro
salary
• Would like to use the solar
oven to bake more cookies
and also dry bay leaves
The Apron Project
• The extra income would allow her to build
a home for her family
Otilia Costa
• Widow
• Sells bottles and charcoal in
the market
• Cares for 7 families, a total of
15 children
• Has 4 children of her own
• She supports her family on
$3.25 a day
The Apron Project
• Is interested in the small businesses she
can start with the solar oven to help her
family
Alice Basilio
• Single
• Supporting one child and her
brother only from small monies
from Reencontro
• Her and her baby are HIV positive
• Was operating a small phone
business from her home through
Reencontro’s microcredit program
until the phone was stolen
• Very interested in starting another
small business to help her family
Guinalda Manjate
• 28 years old
• Single
• Supporting one child
• Her and her baby are HIV
positive
• Currently works with the
Reencontro microcredit
project and has found small
success in selling fish
• Her income is around $2 a
day
• As a hard working
entrepreneur, she is positive
that using the cooker can
better her life and create
new opportunities