Project Report
| Aug 24, 2023
Organic charcoal to protect the environment
By Markus Faigle | Volunteer
![Bio-charcoal ready for sale in the market]()
Bio-charcoal ready for sale in the market
As part of the training provided in the technical school run by Zahana, the use of bio-charcoal as a source of cooking fuel is recognized as inexpensive. Using bio-charcoal instead of firewood is an integral part of promoting the use of improved cookstoves.
But, even if the level of the various trainings offered in the school should be maintained at its current level, its production at the household level remains still to be considered quite tedious. As long as firewood is still available and obtainable people might opt for it.
Despite the complexity in the process of carbonization, the big machines with which the school had been equipped for training/demonstration in 2019 are currently being revised to be made functional.
This part of the bio-charcoal production process will strive to bring these machines back to life and by actually using them and finding a way to make them more functional. (They have been sitting in a shed for years). The innovative team in Analakely wanted to revise it by possibly reducing the number of the tubes from 100 to maybe 10, that would make it more feasible to mass produce bio charcoal briquettes.
The team from Analakely, our most innovative village, seized the opportunity and began with the actual production of charcoal. Their goal is a business model with a social purpose. The team in Analakely produces bio-charcoal at a low price to encourage people to use it and at the same time to makes money by doing it, so they can support themselves and get access to cash.
At the moment, this team manages to sell their bio charcoal in the market in Tsiroanomandidy, the next town nearby. In town people cannot just take a walk into the countryside to collect firewood and are forced to buy their firewood or charcoal to cook already anyway. In this initial phase they sell 100 pieces of bio charcoal per day at the rate of 100 Ariary per unit.
![The old bio-charcoal gizmo being revitalized]()
The old bio-charcoal gizmo being revitalized
![bio-charcoal made with the revitalized gizmo]()
bio-charcoal made with the revitalized gizmo
![Drying bio-charcoal in the sun]()
Drying bio-charcoal in the sun
![Bio-charcoal for sale in the market]()
Bio-charcoal for sale in the market
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Dec 28, 2022
A new innovative gardener
By Markus Faigle | Volunteer
![Ambohibary's New Gardener]()
Ambohibary's New Gardener
We hope you had a good holiday season.
In the last three years 10 villages benefitted from trainings or workshops by ‘Zahana’s bicycle team’ amongst other things on reforestation. (Making improved cookstoves, making bio-charcoal briquettes, bioremediation as pest control and crop improvement was also part of the workshops)
Ambohibary, one of the 10 villages, is very encouraging because they started their own tree nursery. They are currently already producing baby trees to be sold to those willing to plant trees.
Gas is the Gardner in Ambohibary. They were in total 20 benefitting from a special tailor-made reforestation training provided by Zahana, at our school in Fiadanana. He is the only one currently not getting a salary from Zahana who has implemented the technique. His nursery is actually better than the one of the other 4 gardeners paid by Zahana. We plan to change our approach after this season and implement his innovations in all Zahana nurseries.
And yes, if you are in the fortunate position to think about donations for 2022 we hope you might consider Zahana at the end of theyear
Happy New Year!
![Tree nursery Ambohibary]()
Tree nursery Ambohibary
![Tree nursery Ambohibary 2]()
Tree nursery Ambohibary 2
![The 5th Tree nursery in Ambohibary Madagascar]()
The 5th Tree nursery in Ambohibary Madagascar
![Zahana inspired tree nursery in Ambohibary]()
Zahana inspired tree nursery in Ambohibary
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Oct 26, 2022
Evaluating improved cookstoves
By Markus Faigle | Volunteer Project Director
!['traditional' improved cookstove with moringa tea]()
'traditional' improved cookstove with moringa tea
There are big changes coming that hopefully will impact the adoption of improved cookstoves.
Our new on-site coordinator Haja (since late 2021) collected baseline data of the adoption rate of improved cookstoves:
Analakely: 58%
Tsaramandroso: 88,7%
Fiadanana: 30%
Fiarenana: 33%
While the communities that joined Zahana recently are very eager in implementing improved cookstoves (and other Zahana ideas, such as the rice-bank) in their homes our ‘traditional’ Zahana villages leave much to be desired.
Why somebody would not want to switch to an improved cookstove that saves 75% of the energy needed to cook is not exactly clear to us. There are now also locally made improved cookstoves one could buy. We had a series of meetings to address this and, as a consequence of the facts learned from the data, two big changes have been decided:
Our teachers and gardeners that get a salary from Zahana have to be good community role models and use improved cookstoves in their homes. They are also encouraged, time permitting, to make their own bio-charcoal for cooking or buy is as cooking fuel in their community. There contracts have been amended accordingly to reflect this change.
Parents that want to send their children to Zahana’s school have to commit in writing to use improved cookstoves in their homes. This is a pre-condition to be admitted and we rely on peer support to assure this decision is implemented.
![Community workshop making improved cookstoves]()
Community workshop making improved cookstoves
![Elegant version of improved cookstove]()
Elegant version of improved cookstove
![Creating new designs of improved cookstoves]()
Creating new designs of improved cookstoves
![Double burner improved cookstove]()
Double burner improved cookstove
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