Ama Dablam as seen from Namche–the heart of the Himalaya
It’s Thanksgiving and most of us are just about to fire a big bird in the oven, kick back and relax with friends, and maybe get outdoors for some climbing or a trail run. The end of the year means charitable donations, too, and here’s one to consider for the mountain lovers amongst us: The Himalayan Stove Project.
Over the next five years, The Project hopes to deliver 10,000 efficient and clean stoves to families throughout the Himalaya. In doing so they’ll positively change families in terms of health and financial opportunities, as well as help lessen the demand for fuel wood and kerosene.
Cooking over traditional dung and wood stoves, or over open fire pits, leads to toxic indoor pollution. Women and young girls are disproportionately affected, as they spend more time in the home, too. Helping families switch over to clean stoves, manufactured by Envirofit, is a cost-effective way to dramatically improve their standards of living. For any of you who have traveled in Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bhutan, or Tibet, you probably know what the air quality is like in traditional homes and tea houses. I’ve only read about it, but it seems everyone I know who’s been to the mountain countries in Asia comes home with stories of bronchial infections and hacking coughs–mostly because of indoor wood, dung, and kerosene fires.
For $100 you can fund the delivery of a fuel-efficient and clean stove to a family. The Envirofit stoves can lessen that family’s biofuel demand by 60 percent and indoor emissions by 80 percent. The World Health Organization calls indoor air pollution the fourth largest global health problem, so for $100 The Project is getting dramatic results for a relatively small investment.
The Himalayan Stove Project is staffed entirely by volunteers. Chris Bonington and Tom Hornbein sit on the advisory board, along with Colorado adventurer, Erik Weihenmayer. I googled around a bit and didn’t find anything suspect or negative about the organization–after the Greg Mortensen debacle, I’m a little more careful about the money I give away and the projects I try to publicize…and The Himalayan Stove Project seems like a great idea and an efficient way to help families in the developing world. You can donate directly through the website or mail a check to:
Paul Basch Memorial Foundation
62 W. Encanto Boulevard
Phoenix AZ, 85003
602-263-7418
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and hope to see you on snow soon–if we get any! Keep praying!
