News bulletin 6 from Stichting Milijuli

Pradeep Tamang, the person who writes the e-mails for Dubleli Milijuli Group, reports that all solar sets and stoves were installed.

[Remarks: The purpose of the solar panels is that they generate just enough energy for some hours of light each day. That light, should provide the children more time for homework and reading. The stoves provide a healthier atmosphere in the houses (smoke and carbon monoxide).
The combination solar panel - stove was chosen to promote the use of smokeless stoves. It is a slight coercion to discover the benefits of these stoves.]

Tamang houses with a 21W solar panel and a smokestack through the roof.

House with a 21W solar panel and a smokestack

I was curious to know whether the smokestack would be lead through a hole in a wall or through the roof, because someone had told me that people did not use chimneys while they were afraid that bad spirits could enter the house through the hole in the roof.

Improved stove, as delivered in Duble.

As the transport costs had been lower than expected and the Dubleli Milijuli staff had not declared their expenses, it had been possible to purchase an extra solar set.
So, a total of 10 solar tukis (5W solar panel), 15 solar sets with 21W solar panel and 13 improved stoves have been installed. Two households could not get the combination of solar set and stove.
A standard passenger bus was used to transport all materials to the village of Dhobi. From there the people of Duble carried everything home in their baskets. A technician of Lasersunenergy has installed the solar sets. Kame Sherpa assisted. He made the photos shown at this page.

An improved stove during installation.

In 2005, I also went to Duble via Dhobi. At that time we only could drive up to Khimtibesi and had to walk to Dhobi, a distance of 8 Km., as the crow flies. For the same crow the distance from Dhobi to Duble is 19 Km.. I needed 2.5 days for that stage.
The people of Duble asked Pradeep to express their gratitude to the people who made this possible. They are very glad. I join them in this and thank all persons who gave a donation. It would be nice if we could help another group, after some time.

Saila shows the manual for the solar set.

A happy and grateful user of the improved stove.

Another happy and grateful user of the improved stove.

After all Tamang houses I feel the need to show a Sherpa house too.

We do not discriminate. Also men are happy with the stoves.

I am sure that the improved stoves will be accepted permanently. This cat already does.

I am curious to know whether the improved stoves will replace the open fires permanently. An open fire is very sociable; I also like it, but not inside the house.
I hope to go and have a look in October or November.

(Ton van der Kop)

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