World Water Day 2014

This year, the UN has dedicated World Water Day 2014
to Water and Energy to draw attention to the fact that: more
than 1.3 billion people live without electricity; 768 million
people lack access to potable water; 2.5 billion people are
without sanitation; and 2.8 billion live in areas of high water
stress. Water and energy have critical impacts on eliminating
poverty and boosting shared prosperity.

REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY COMMEMORATION

Abibiman Foundation in collaboration with SNV Ghana, Ghana Alliance for Clean Cookstoves GHACCO), Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves and other stakeholders organized a one day event to commemorate  international women’s day which was held  on the 11^th March,2014 at Barkuman, Tema New Town in the Tema Metropolis. 

The theme of the International Women’s Day is “Fighting Climate Change-The Role of Women”.

The event was held with three (3) main objectives which include:

1.  To highlight the critical linkages between Women and Girls and the cooking sector using the case of fish mongers at Tema New Town, Ghana.
2. To inspire change by engaging Ghanaian women to fight climate change through the promotion of the use of improved clean cookstoves; an effective technology in reducing the use of firewood for cooking since improved cookstoves save lives.
3. To improve livelihoods, empower women, and protect the environment by creating a thriving global market for clean and efficient household cooking solution.

In a welcome address by the CEO of Abibimman Foundation, Mr. Kenneth Amoateng thank the women of Tema New Town and all stakeholders in the sector for their participation in joining Abibimman Foundation to celebrate International Women’s Day. He reiterated Abibimman commitment to continue empowering women to be self reliant and urge women of Tema New Town especially the fish mongers to embrace change by adopting the new improved cookstoves being introduced by SNV Ghana because is energy efficient, it reduces the quantity of firewood, hence protecting the environment from degradation and reduces the health risk associated with the chorkor stoves.

In a speech delivered by the CEO of ANOMENA Ventures on behalf of Ghana Alliance for Clean Cookstoves(GHACCO), Dr. Sabinna Mensah introduced participants to the objective of the programme and stated that this programme was earmark to commemorate international women’s day which seeks to educate the women of Tema New Town on the impact of climate change and  the introduction of improved cookstoves which is energy efficient and  reduces the quantity of firewood use and hence reducing the cost the spend on firewood to cater for their children ‘schools fees. She also urge the gradual adoption and introduction of LPG. 

In a statement read on behalf on SNV Ghana, Mr. Emmanuel Aziebor Introduced to the women the concept of Improved Fish Smoking Stove and urged them to embrace the idea of the project since it will help in the fight against climate change and promote conservation of our forest reserve because the quantity of firewood used for fish smoking will be significantly reduced. According to him, the role women play in the society is very significant and hence acceptance for the improved cookstoves for women of Tema New Town will help protect the environment and also reduces the effects of smoke. 

In a statement delivered by the Head of Department for Community Development of TMA informed women of the community about the programmes the department runs in the Tema Metropolis and stated that her outfit organizes income generation activities for both men and women groups. They also organized group meetings; mass meetings in collaboration with MASSLOC in order to enable the groups obtain loans from MASLOC for their work. She also touched on issues such as the Improved Fish Smoking Stove and encourages the women of Tema New Town to embrace the improved cookstove because is climate change friendly and does not pose any threat to their health as compare to the chorkor stove. In her statement, she urged the women to absorb 50% of the total cost while SNV Ghana pay the remaining 50%.

In a statement delivered by the chairman of the coalition of NGOs in Tema (CONGOT), Dr. Elvis Donkor informed the participants that fish mongers were exposed to health hazards such as respiratory diseases due to excessive inhalation of smoke from the chokor stove manufacture with poor materials. He also use the occasion to encourage the women to move from the chokor stove to the SNV Ghana improved Fish Smoking Stove for fish smoking which will also improve their standard of living.

In a presentation by the Project Assistant, Mrs. Benedicta Samey and Emmanuel Kwateng took turns and demonstrated the household stoves and Improved Fish Smoking Stove. According to Mrs. Benedicta, This project is part of SNV Ghana renewable Energy intervention which is intended to be implemented for duration of two years along the coastal fishing areas of Ghana.

According to her, a survey that was conducted by SNV Ghana, along the coast of Ghana last year estimate an average of over 33,000 fish smoking stoves which are in constant used of an average of 5 days every week. She noted that SNV Ghana intend to build about 400 improved fish smoking stoves which will help reduce mangrove and fuelwood consumption, reduce production cost associated with fish smoking and reduced exposure to firewood smoke. She also informed the women that the introduction of the improved fish smoking stove will help improved livelihood of fish smoking entrepreneurs and also reduced deforestation and degradation of mangrove forests in coastal areas in Ghana

Climate Change The Role of Women, Mr. Kenneth Nana Amoateng,

Temple, March 12, GNA- International Women's Day was
marked in the Tema Metropolis at Bakuman at Tema Newt
Town on Tuesday with a call for the use of environmentally
friendly cooking and preservation technologies to reduce the
effects of climate change.

Speaking on the theme, Climate Change The Role of Women,
Mr. Kenneth Nana Amoateng, the Chief Executive of
Abibimman Foundation, said climate change affected all
people but women especially often bore the brunt due to their
central and crucial role as homemakers.

Mr. Amoateng said women were used as a pillar in the
campaign because they often faced challenges which were
compounded by socio economic inequality.

According to him, the good news was that women were
pushing to the forefront of science, agriculture and natural
resource management related fields and had tremendous
potential to alter the direction of our common future.

He said his group, in collaboration with Netherlands
Development Organization (SNV), Ghana Alliance for Clean
Cook Stove, Community Development of the Tema
Metropolitan Assembly, has collectively put in place measures
to help local women ensure proper conservation of energy and
secure sustainable livelihoods.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency Dr. Elvis Donkor,
Founder, Action for Medical Accidents Victim, said fishmongers
were exposed to health hazards such as upper respiratory
diseases due the excessive inhalation of smoke from ovens
manufactured with poor materials.

Madam Selina Mensah, an environmentalist, advised the
women of Bakuman to use the modern and improved stoves.
GNA

http://www.ghananewsagency.org/science/international-women-s-day-marked-in-tema-71959

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2014 in Ghana “Fighting climate change- The Role of Women”.

WHY IMPROVED COOKSTOVES MATTER ON COMMEMORATION OF 2014 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

 Under the theme: “Fighting climate change- The Role of Women”.

In a world where modern technology is penetrating the far outskirts of this planet, a silent crisis is also taking place- destroying the environment, affecting the health, well being, dignity and development of millions of people especially in developing countries. Each year International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. The first International Women’s Day was held in 1911. Thousands of events occur to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 3 billion people globally are exposed to smoke resulting from traditional cooking and heating methods such as using firewood and leaky cookstoves. Women and children are the most affected by the health problems associated with cookstove smoke, which contributes to more deaths a year globally.

Abibiman Foundation in collaboration with GHACCO, SNV Ghana, celebrate of international Women’s Day in Tema Newtown. A visit to Tema Newtown where these women smoke fish reveals that about 91% of their source of fire for smoking fish comes from the firewood. Abibiman Foundation currently work with organized women groups in Tema Newtown on issues of environmental sustainability because majority of this women rely on fishing as their only source of livelihood and the methodology that is used to smoke the fish involves the use of firewood which is produced through cutting down of trees. These women smoke fish in open fires and traditional cookstoves, they play a crucial role in the adoption and use of clean cooking solutions because of their responsibilities as cooks and managers of their households.

The objective for this year International Women’s Day Celebration in Ghana is to inspire change by engaging Ghanaian women to fight climate change by promoting the use of Improved clean cookstoves which has proven to be an effective technology in reducing the use of firewood for cooking to save lives, improve livelihoods, empower women, and protect the environment by creating a thriving global market for clean and efficient household cooking solutions.

The choice of venue for the celebrations is because majority of women in Tema Newtown  rely on fishing as their only source of livelihood and the methodology that is used to smoke the fish involves the use of firewood which is produced through cutting down of trees. These women smoke fish in open fires through the use of traditional cookstoves which pollutes the environment and can cause cataracts, cancer, heart disease and mostly is the women and children who are affected because cooking is seen as the woman responsibility.

Introduce clean cookstoves to the community because women play a crucial role in the adoption and use of clean cooking solutions because of their responsibilities as cooks and managers of their households. SNV Ghana has pilot one of the cookstoves which intends to support the women of tema newtown and enhance projects on the ground by introducing them to clean cookstoves which is environmental friendly and also ensure that women of tema newtown are economically empowered to use clean cookstove technologies, fuels, equipment, and practices that address the health and environmental impacts associated with traditional cookstoves.

The overall objective of the Days celebration is to get the women fish mongers in tema newtown to adopt the clean cookstove to enhance clean environment, preserve our trees and also promote healthy life style among these women for their benefit and the community at large.

Cooking is essential and should not kill.

Kenneth Nana Amoateng
www.abibimmanfoundation.org
amoatengken@gmail.com