Safer cooking for rural communities

FIVE hundred rural Manguzi families have access to safer cooking facilities after they each received the wonderful gift of a Wonderbag.

An educational ‘Wonderfeast’ was recently held at eSibonisweni Primary School at which the bags were handed out and 1 200 learners fed a nutritious, hot Wonderbag-cooked meal.

The feast was a joint collaboration between the Wonderbag Foundation and Chiara Savage, a former student from the United States-based Mark Day School.

Savage baked over 7 000 treats to raise money to subsidise Wonderbags for communities such as eSibonisweni.

She said she did it so she could be part of the solution to help improve communities’ cook stove situation, so families can learn how these simple yet powerful tools can help them save time and money every day.

ALSO READ: Promoting food security

‘I have been working closely with Sarah Collins, the inventor of the Wonderbag,’ said Savage.

‘She is my inspiration and she is empowering women all over the world to take control of their lives and obtain an education.

‘By easing the huge burden of providing food, water and fuel for their families, I’m hopefully opening up time for girls to stay in school and helping them toward a better future.’

‘This Wonderfeast, as is the case with all the Wonderfeasts we run, was another truly awe inspiring engagement for me,’ said Sarah Collins, Wonderbag founder.

‘Ninety percent of the people in attendance were women and it is always a great opportunity for me to witness first-hand the tenacity, resilience and determination of the women of Africa in wanting to change their own lives for the better.’

Partnership

eSibonisweni Primary and Mark Day School have since 2002 enjoyed a global partnership which was forged by Jennifer Getz, a Mark Day administrator and former South African teacher, in conjunction with eSibonisweni administrators.

Together they formed an ongoing collaborative cultural exchange, with both parties benefiting.

The two schools communicate remotely during the course of the academic year, and carry out shared classroom projects.

Collins said the initiative resonates with the work done through the Wonderbag Foundation to help empower and uplift women and children in Africa’s rural areas.

‘The sense of community and sharing was palpable at this Wonderfeast and the connection that these two schools from other sides of the world have struck up is remarkable.’

Delegations of Mark Day School teachers and students visit eSibonisweni bi-annually with an emphasis on creating a connection between the two communities.

The delegation completes projects such as testing all children’s vision to check for the need for glasses, collaborative art projects in which every child participates and the final product lives on at the school, and a sports day where the 700 learners enthusiastically play games, football, netball, jump-rope, and dance.

The Wonderbag is a revolutionary, non-electric heat retention cooker that allows food that has been brought to the boil by conventional methods, to continue to cook for up to 12 hours without using any additional energy source.

For every bag sold around the world a contribution is made to the Wonderbag Foundation to help put more bags into the hands of those around the world who live in poverty

HAVE YOUR SAY

Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter

For news straight to your phone invite us:

WhatsApp – 072 069 4169

Instagram – zululand_observer