Low-cost Kitchens with Ventilation

In another significant initiative, SSGF funds have been deployed to construct external kitchens.

It had been observed that women were prone to respiratory diseases because of cooking smoke that circulated inside the house due to poor ventilation. To remedy this situation, an NGO designed low-cost kitchens with chimneys for tsunami-affected houses. These are customised to suit the height of the primary user of that household and cost Rs 38,000 (US$ 370) apiece. As a value added service, the NGO also provides advice on how to optimise the limited space in the kitchen, including positioning of cooking ingredients.

Explaining the concept, the NGO says, “The residents of this locality do not seem to have paid attention to air pollution when the house was being built. In less affluent households, residents suffer from various respiratory ailments due to trapped kitchen smoke.”

“We devised a 2-burner clay cooker that is fuel-efficient and emits much less smoke. With assistance from UN’s South - South Grants Facility, we have built kitchens quipped with chimneys or escape vents. We build the kitchens with brick instead of wood, to avoid the element of risk. Several aid agencies have done the same, replicating this design.”