The LOW TECH STOVES slideshow shows the main stages of building several types of simple stove during my two trips... Note: click on slideshows to view full size on Picasaweb!

The stoves cost virtually nothing to build, can be adapted to  different sizes of kitchen/family, using 60% less fuel they save biomass eg. wood, charcoal, dried maize cobs, save collection time, and distance travelled in search of fuel. (This can be a safety issue for women and children e.g. in Somalia where they are frequently attacked outside refugee camps). They use smaller fuels - meaning dead and fallen branches rather than cutting whole trees. These stoves make less smoke and particulates saving people's lungs and polluting the air less. They cook hotter and faster than open fires. They are safer - fewer women and children are burned as the fire is enclosed. The cob rocket stoves are even portable.

It was wonderful to be able to go back, make improvements, try the stoves out, exchange recipes, see them in use and help ensure acceptance of most of the innovations. Let's hope the cob stoves are now dry and being tried out!