What is a solar cooker?

A solar cooker is an innovative creation used to cook food without the use of firewood. As using a stove is not an option in Darfur or in refugee camps, gathering firewood to build a fire is necessary for villagers to cook and provide food for their families. The Solar Cooker Project provides a complete kit of materials, or “CooKit”, as an eco-friendly way to cook food WITHOUT firewood! By using inexpensive materials to create these kits, such as aluminum and cardboard, these cookers can be made inexpensively and quickly.

How does it work?

Aluminum materials are placed under and around the pot used to cook so that when positioned under the sun, heat is reflected off of the aluminum and absorbed by the pot. In other words, the sunlight is being converted into heat, which increases the temperature of the pot and ultimately makes food.

What does a CooKit include?

For every $30 donation, a family will be provided with 2 cookers, 2 pots, 2 pot holders, a year supply of plastic bags used to preserve condensation. It also provides training for women and girls on how to make and use the CookKits.

Who is involved?

ASR is collaborating with Jewish World Watch, US partner of KoZon International and the founder of The Solar Cooker Project, to help raise funds, maintain The Solar Cooker Project and expand it to other camps. The project has been so successful in the two years since its creation that Rachel Andres, director of the Solar Cooker Project, was awarded the prestigious Charles Bronfman Prize for her humanitarian efforts in May 2008. Today, more than 200 organizations nationwide support the Solar Cooker Project and with your help, more are certain to follow.

How will this help Darfur?

One of the main issues fueling the crisis in Darfur is the scarcity of natural resources. Desertification and the depletion of forests make it not only difficult for villagers to find firewood but dangerous to gather it as well. Women and children risk being raped and slaughtered every time they exit refugee camps to search for firewood. By providing villages with these solar cookers, we are not only reducing the risks of rape but also conserving what little wood is left by converting sunlight into heat. Also, women in Sudan are paid to train other women and children how to use a solar cooker, allowing an additional source of income. Materials included in the solar cooker kit are found in Sudan, cutting the cost of shipping as well as helping to improve local economies.