What Is The Goal:
My name is Spencer Brodsky. I am 17 years old, and I have begun a project to help needy children in Rwanda through donations to CHF International's Rwanda Fuel-Efficient Stove Program. Besides raising funds, the goal of Stoves For Rwanda is to raise awareness about issues and need, in a country that many have forgotten. I feel an individual, adult or teenager, has the ability to facilitate positive social change. I have seen this happen before, and I know together again we can make a difference in Rwanda.
Why Rwanda?
Rwanda is one of the poorest countries in the world. Over 51% of the population lives below the poverty line. The country suffers from public health crises, chronic food insecurity, and the psychological impact of the 1994 Genocide that left hundreds of thousands dead. Rwanda has a massive number of orphans. The country has one of the world's largest proportion of households that are headed by kids. Children are raising children. We, teenagers and adults, can help make their lives easier through raising: awareness of their plight and funds for fuel-efficient stoves.
Why Fuel-Efficient Stoves?
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Rwanda has a shortage of fuel for cooking. Fuel-Efficient stoves use significantly less wood than traditional Rwandan cooking methods. The stoves cook food more quickly. Time saved from collecting wood and cooking food will allow orphans and vulnerable children more time to take care of their families and go to school.
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Fuel-efficient stoves can make children's lives safer and healthier because of the reduced number of dangerous wood collection trips, better nutrition, and the improved safety and health benefits achieved from moving stoves to outside the home. The reduced exposure to indoor air pollution will improve the health of children in Rwanda.
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Fuel-efficient stoves require less fuel-wood, which reduces deforestation. This will help the mountain forests, which are the home to the endangered mountain gorillas--Rwanda’s leading tourist attraction which provides economic benefit to the country. Fuel-efficient stoves also help the environment by reducing carbon emissions.
What Can We Do Right Now?
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Raising
awareness about a country and children many have forgotten is a goal of
Stoves For Rwanda. Working together, we can bring this message to many
through the power we have in the internet--email, facebook, twitter,
texting, and aggressive forwarding of this site We can be the voice of
the children who cannot speak for themselves by spreading their message.
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Join Stoves For Rwanda's groups and email lists. That way you will stay informed as we work together toward our goals:
Newsletter: Just send your email address to:,
What is my background?
For the past two years, I have been working on a project to help
women and families in Darfur (www.StovesForDarfur.com) through contributions to CHF
International’s Darfur Fuel-Efficient Stove Program. CHF is an
international development and humanitarian aid organization, with more
than 50 years of experience implementing community-led solutions in
more than 100 countries. As a result of the hard work, dedication, and
the generosity of over 1,000 individuals from more than 15 countries,
together we were able to donate $130,000 enough for 4,333 stoves.
In early March 2009 the Sudanese government told many western aid
organizations, including CHF International, to leave Sudan. CHF hopes
to return to helping the people of Darfur when conditions improve.
CHF examined options in terms of expanding their operations to other
African countries that have a need for fuel-efficient stoves. I
decided that I would never forget the people of Darfur, but if these
stoves could help others who were suffering, I wanted to continue my
efforts.
