June 20, 2018
Unica Foundation, in collaboration with partner organization Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) Kaski, sanctioned a new project for Metallic Improved Cooking Stoves (MICS) in Ulleri & Banthati, Annapurna Rural Municipality-9, Kaski. The duration of the project is eight months starting from 1st of May 2018. The focus of the project is on alleviating the ecological and health hazards that result from indoor smoke pollution due to the traditional firewood cooking. Therefore, the project aims to install MICS (interchangeably used as ‘smokeless oven’ too) in 129 households for improving personal, familial and environmental hygiene.
The implementation strategy emphasizes community participation through forming of an user’s committee, in which the community would involve learning the importance of MICS, as well as installation skills and training on repairs and maintenance. In addition to the Unica Foundation and NRCS Kaski, the project runs collaboratively with the government of Nepal through the Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC), as they subsidies NPR 3000 (around € 25) in each MICS. Moreover, the community also participates as a form of labor contribution, such as carrying the MICS from the road ahead to the household and cooperating the installation work.
