NGO Programs

SUN OVENS International is looking to form working relationships with NGOs and PVOs in regions of the world that are blessed with an abundance of sunshine to develop and implement projects.

SUN OVENS® can be utilized in sustainable programs in the following areas:

		Deforestation prevention
		Expanding women’s capacities to transform conditions
		Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
		GLOBAL SUN OVEN® Assembly plants
		Micro-enterprise
		Orphanage programs
		Refugee operations

Deforestation Prevention
With the growing problem of deforestation SUN OVENS® will make a big difference. Throughout the Continent of Africa annual wood consumption for cooking is 454 kilograms (1,000 lbs.) of wood per person. A family of six using a GLOBAL SUN OVEN® for 70% of their cooking needs would save 1.9 tons of wood per year. A GLOBAL SUN OVEN® has a useful life of at least 20 years. Thirty eight tons of wood is saved by each oven. A VILLAGER SUN OVEN® that is used in bakery operations can save 150 tons of wood each year compared to a charcoal fueled bakery.

Expanding Women’s Capacities to Transform Conditions
The wide spread introduction of SUN OVENS® into developing nations blessed with an abundance of sunshine can assist in a powerful way to accomplish five of the objectives of the Beijing Platform for Action, including:

Strengthening Women’s Role in Environmental Sustainability Promoting Women’s Health Educational Equality Protection from Violence Against Women Ending Women’s Economic Inequality

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The combustion of fuel released from wood fires releases greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, with potentially serious costs to the global economy and environment. SUN OVENS® replace wood and/or charcoal as the primary source of cooking fuel eliminating tons of CO2 emissions. Over its 20-year life, one GLOBAL SUN OVEN® will eliminate a total of 70 tons of CO2 emissions. Increasing GHG concentrations are likely to cause large negative economic impacts in the future. Each solar powered bakery will reduce the amount of GHGs, which would otherwise have been emitted.

GLOBAL SUN OVEN® Assembly Plants
SUN OVENS International has developed an assembly system that allows ovens to be made in the area they will be used, dramatically reducing the cost of the ovens, shipping and creating local jobs. This complete assembly system includes the training, tools, instructional materials and follow-up support necessary to assemble GLOBAL SUN OVENS®. Once an assembly plant has been established using a pre-agreed upon number of U.S. made components, the specifications are provided that will allow for the manufacturing of any of the components (with the exception of the gasket) to be locally produced.

Micro-Enterprise
VILLAGER SUN OVENS® are currently in use in 40 countries around the world in bakeries. SUN OVENS International has developed an optional 150 piece Micro-Sun-Bakery package that enables the creation of a self-sustaining micro-enterprise to turn out fresh baked goods while creating jobs and eliminating the cost of fuel. This program helps to alleviate poverty and enhance the quality of life by empowering women to raise their standard of living through self-sustaining micro-enterprise. This enterprise will utilize the ultimate renewable resource, sunshine, to cost-effectively provide a needed food staple. Once funded, these bakeries can self-fund the expansion to additional locations.

Orphanage Programs
The growing AIDS crisis has created an ever-increasing need to care for orphans around the world. VILLAGER SUN OVENS® are utilized in orphanages in three important ways:

1. To cook food for the children without the expense of purchasing charcoal.
2. To bake bread which can be sold to generate income for the orphanage.
3. To teach the children a usable job skill of making bread, which helps them earn a living when they reach adulthood and leave the orphanage.

Refugee Operations
The arrival of a large inflow of refugees can place intense pressure on the environment of the host country. Deforestation is among the most significant environmental problems as competition for fuel wood increases. Using SUN OVENS® as a preventive step, before environmental degradation occurs, will positively impact the environment while improving the quality of life of refugee families.

NGOs and PVOs that are interested in learning more about these programs or can see other ways that SUN OVENS® can fit into their work should contact SUN OVENS International at info@sunoven.com.