Imagine it is time to cook a meal for your family and you don’t have a stove, oven, or even a microwave. What you do have is a small, smoky fire pit in your house, fueled by cow dung which you have to collect yourself. How would this affect your ability to cook a meal? This is how villagers in Bolivia cook their meals every day.

Recently CHOICE Humanitarian teamed up with the villages of Tuni, Challapata and Wayraconi to provide an efficient alternative for cooking meals – solar ovens. During a four day workshop facilitated by the CHOICE staff Fèlix, Germàn and Julio, the communities learned how to build and use their new ovens.

The villagers were very excited about this opportunity, and eager to show their dedication to the project by contributing the necessary funds to purchase the supplies themselves. These solar ovens can roast peanuts, cook potatoes, corn, quinoa (a grain), breads, cakes, and even pizza without the use of fuel.

Maxi, CHOICE staff in Bolivia says, “These ovens are great because solar rays are free and they make very healthy food because there is no loss of nutrients.” Unfortunately these ovens do not work when it rains or in the early hours of the morning before the sun rises, but as long as the sun is shining, the ovens are in constant use.

Because of your support CHOICE Humanitarian trainings, just like this one, are happening all over Bolivia, providing the necessary skills to help these communities find solutions to their own poverty. Thank you!

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