SOLAR OVEN – New Project for 2011

In 2008 and 2009 we learned that the post election violence, continuing drought conditions and the abysmal poverty have left little options for jobs for our high school graduates. Accordingly, we are very concerned that we will have a growing population of SHARE sponsored orphans who are not on a college path and have no means of support.

We explored possibilities of capitalizing on our solar oven experience and partnering with the Marist brothers of the Our Lady of Orore Boarding school. Why this school?

The Our Lady of Orore Boarding School is a small self contained village. The School grows its own produce, fowl and fish. While some of the produce is for the boarders, rest is sold to the local villages. Thus, there exists a distribution channel for their goods. The Brothers are also highly entrepreneurial. For example, they recently increased the number of pit latrines and in doing so, acquired their own brick making and cutting equipment to take care of their own needs regarding the latrines. But, in addition, they provide these services to local communities for a fee. They also rent out the equipment if that is what is preferred by the customer. In short, the Marist Brothers are successful entrepreneurs with established distribution channels. We believe that if they have a commercial solar oven they can supply bread to local villages. Currently, the bread comes for Kisumu, which is quite a distance away.

Accordingly, we approached them with the idea of developing a business plan for solar ovens with 3 conditions:

1. The Oven enterprise must employ our SHARE orphans

2. We would loan the money for a mutually acceptable term and with low /no interest, which needs to be paid back

3. If successful they need to help us replicate the experience.

Brother Josea was extremely interested and was going to take it up with his Board. In the meantime, we have been able to connect with two sponsors who have contributed monies towards purchasing of the new oven.- MANY THANKS! While we wait, Brenda Reicheldelfer, a highly talented engineer, former Chief technology Officer of ITT corporation, is currently assisting us in researching what ovens would be optimum. Stay Tuned!

Solar oven