FAQs
We have appointed a trusted in-country representative to manage stove transactions. The representative has access to a small amount of our funds at a time. We have appointed a separate inspector who is unknown to our representative. The inspector attends the site every second month to check on numbers of gas stoves in households and reports back directly to us. In addition, one of our executive team will be visiting the slum annually (post-COVID border closure) to check on progress.
An early random survey of residents suggests that most can afford the co-contribution if given adequate notice. Our pilot project revealed strong demand for the scheme at the level of the co-contribution.
The co-contribution is about 10% of monthly income.
Stoves have a safety certification. There have been no reported accidents from faulty gas stoves in Dhaka.
Stoves are purchased from shops within the slum. Those shopkeepers source the stoves, regulators and gas bottles from major supply companies.
The firewood shop owners tell us that they will change to a gas bottle exchange business if firewood cooking is eliminated.
The global Clean Cooking Alliance does not view solar cook stoves as viable principally because they don’t work at night or under heavy cloud. Traditionally, solar cook stoves have also struggled for traction because they are bulky and can take some time to heat up. These latter issues are gradually being resolved.