World Vision-Community Insight

On Thursday 8th May, CO2balance travelled to the World Vision office in Wema, Nakuru to train 30 local data collectors in conducting baseline kitchen surveys and kitchen performance tests for the World Vision Gold Standard Cookstove VPAs in Wema and Mogotio; both VPAs will be included under CO2balance’s recently registered GS1366 Micro Energy PoA and aim to facilitate access to improved cookstoves through existing micro finance institutions and designated community groups.

In addition to carrying out the baseline training, it was also a great opportunity to talk to the local community  who demonstrated a keen interest in the project  and were eager to share their thoughts. Apart from concerns related to the adverse health impacts of three stone fires many of the people we spoke to were particularly worried about the environmental impacts of deforestation.  Pointing to the surrounding scrub-land and barren hillsides, one of the community members mentioned how the entire area used to be covered in forest. Others noted that deforestation has led to changing weather patterns and a reduction in rainfall,which  in turn effects agricultural production. Based on the discussion we had, it is evident that the dissemination of clean cookstoves which reduce fuel consumption by around 50% will have multiple long-term benefits for the community in terms of sustainable development and wellbeing.

With regard to the baseline studies, World Vision have since informed us that the surveys are already well underway and that everything is running according to plan. Come end of week all the data will have been collected and soon to be returned to CO2balance for analysis. We are grateful for World Vision’s ongoing support in ensuring that the surveys are carried out to the highest standards and look forward to moving ahead with the next steps towards Gold Standard registration.

 

Good news on the World Vision Baseline!

Our previous blogs stated our (co2balance) new partnership with World Vision on micro-scale cook stove projects in Baringo and Nakuru Counties in Kenya. Subject to Gold Standard rules before delving into the project implementation it’s vital to do a baseline study to understand the amount of wood combusted and therefore greenhouse gases produced within the project area before being reduced by the project activity.

As a result yesterday the co2balance team represented by Lucas and I were in Nakuru, Wema ADP for the World Vision baseline training. This however came after some in advent delays. We trained 30 data collectors who will be involved in the data collection for the coming KS and KPT. The Baseline is now scheduled for next week. This is good news!

During the rigorous training we took the data collectors through the theory part of the surveys before doing various practical samples to ensure that they all understood the process for doing the surveys. The training included data collectors from both Wema and Mogotio; the ADP’s where the project will be implemented. This training allowed the data collectors to gain a greater understanding of the surveys and how they are carried out to meet the high standards required.

After the training we had to remind the Survey field teams that as they will be going into peoples’ homes, representing co2balance and World Vision they need to do so with respect and be aware that the households are helping by letting them into their homes. We also asked them to remember thanking all households for accepting to be part of the survey.

Getting stakeholders views in Nakuru and Baringo Counties

Due to the expertise that co2balance has in developing carbon projects it has partnered with World Vision  to develop a clean cook stove project in two Counties in Kenya. As a result on 4^th and 5^th of March 2014 co2balance team together with the World Vision managed to successfully carry out three local stakeholder meetings in Wema – Nakuru County and Mogotio – Baringo County respectively.  The meetings were very crucial as they provided vital feedback from all stakeholders who attended the meetings. More importantly the meetings provided feedback from community members who will be the users of the stoves. Through the meetings much was gathered in relation to the needs of the community in this project that will provide good guidance in rolling out the project.

During the meetings it was our pleasure on our part (co2balance represented by Lloyd and Moses) as carbon experts explaining in the simplest way to the communities about carbon credits, carbon market and carbon finance issues that seemed to amaze them very much. Most of the community members were passionate and we look forward to a successful engagement as a result. This is justified by the fact that many of the stoves that were brought on-site for viewing by a local producer called SCODE were bought by stakeholders in attendance even to the surprise of the seller.

Managing to have government ministries, County government representation and NEMA in the meetings was a great achievement for us as it clearly indicates the kind of support we together with World Vision have from the government. Most importantly was seeing various government officials and NEMA officers in attendance fully endorse the project as they urged the local communities to take advantage of the opportunity.

Listening to the local communities share their sad stories on how their smoked kitchens have negatively affected them and their children moved hearts of many thus confirming the fact that this clean cook stove project could not have come at a better time. Many also narrated stories regarding difficulties they undergo to get these vital pieces of wood; firewood and dear costs and time consumed in search of firewood. Despite all these, we gave them hope in our solution that using clean and energy efficient cook stoves would provide a solution to their current menace.

The meetings went well; however to make the process adequately participatory and following Gold Standard requirements we still continue to collect more views from stakeholders through the contacts provided to the stakeholders. At the end of it all, community stakeholders were happy, government officials were happy, world vision were happy, as co2balance representatives we were happy thus with  confidence we can say the three LSC meetings were a success and the battle against climate change continues!

 

Laying the Foundations in Baringo

co2balance joined new partners World Vision on a field trip to Baringo Country in Kenya at the beginning of the week to consult with various stakeholders about the up coming micro-scale cookstove projects. The trip included representatives from World Vision Australia, WV Finland as well as WV Kenya and started with a visit to households currently using different improved cookstoves in the area. This allowed the group to gain a greater understanding of the needs and challenges faced by women when cooking meals for their families; unsurprisingly the amount of smoke produced by different stove types was a common topic.

Left to Right: Timothy (WV Kenya), Lydia (WV Kenya), Annette (WV Finland),

Andrew (WV Australia), Lloyd (co2balance), Dismas (WV Kenya)

The rest of the trip was given over to a consultation session in the grounds of a local school where area leaders, ministers and womens groups were invited to come and discuss the project. One of the hot topics was the savings and loans schemes implemented by the womens groups. The project aims to facilitate access to improved cookstoves but would like to tap into and support existing micro-finance structures. By doing this a market based approach can be developed that would result in organic growth within the project.

As announced in a previous blog post a stakeholder date and venue has been set and we would invite anyone interested to attend.

World Vision and Co2balance confirm stakeholder dates for two cook stove VPAs in Kenya.

co2balance are currently working in partnership with World Vision on the delivery of two Gold Standard improved cookstove VPAs in the districts of Wema and Mogotia, Kenya. These projects aim to address the environmental, social and economic problems associated with traditional three stone cooking methods in the above districts by promoting energy efficient cook-stoves to households through established micro-finance institutions, helping to make them affordable to local users. The two micro-scale projects will be included under the co2balance non LDC multi-country PoA . Each one will reduce emissions by 10000tCO2 per year in addition to providing multiple other co-benefits for sustainable development.

In order to maximise stakeholder feedback and coverage, three separate stakeholder meetings will be conducted, two in the district of Wema on March 4th and one in Mogotia on 5^th March. The principle objective of using a participatory approach is  to ensure the projects are fully in line with the expectations of beneficiaries right from the offset  and  to eliminate the risk of potential problems occurring during the implementation phase. Further updates soon.