One of the hopes for Rays of Hope for Haiti is to establish a bakery in Father Roosevelt's community. Currently there is nowhere for the residents to purchase or make bread. Many have never had bread before.
Using the conventional method known in Haiti, which would be wood burning stoves is really not an option because La Gonave, like most of Haiti is almost 98% deforested. However we have done some research into solar ovens and they seem like the most practical, cost effective, and efficient options.
I have included a link to the website for Solar Ovens International so that you can research for yourself. When we visit Father Roosevelt this is one of the topics for consideration. From my personal experience I see the pros of the solar oven to be the following:
1. Higher yield of bread. (50 loaves per hour as opposed to 35 per day with a conventional wood oven)
2. Environmentally friendly- no destruction of the few trees remaining
3. Development of a micro-enterprise that will provide work and some income for those involved
4. Bread for the children in school and for the patients in the clinic.
Drawbacks
1. Initial cost is over $10,000 for the system, plus the shipping of the oven to Haiti/ La Gonave
2. Educating Haitians about how to use the oven and the benefits of the solar oven over wood burning stoves
Developing a business model that is effective and realistic for an impoverished community like Pointe a Raquettes.
Thanks much
Doug
Here is the link to the website: http://www.sunoven.com/usa.asp
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