Cleaner Cooking, Stronger Families: The Story of Heenaben’s Transformation

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• Cleaner Cooking, Stronger Families The Story of
  Heenabens Transformation

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• In the heart of Pipaldahad village, nestled in
  the Subir Block of Gujarats Dang district, a
  tale of resilience and transformation unfolds.
  This is the story of Heenaben, a woman who
  single-handedly supports a family of ten and has
  revolutionised her household with the adoption of
  an Improved Cook Stove (ICS).
• Heenabens journey began with a problem that
  plagued many households in her village the
  traditional cookstove. The persistent smoke from
  the stove caused discomfort and itching in the
  eyes of her sister, who had recently undergone
  eye surgery. The solution came in the form of an
  ICS, which significantly reduced harmful
  emissions and made the indoor environment of
  Heenabens house much cleaner.
• As the primary breadwinner, Heenaben chose not to
  marry and instead started her tailoring business.
  She also took care of the familys livestock,
  which included five cows and two oxen. However,
  the daily 7 km journey to gather fuelwood from
  the nearby jungle was a struggle, especially
  while juggling her business and household chores.
• The turning point came when CARE India initiated
  SHE School sessions in Pipaldahad, with the
  support of Shell India Private Limited. These
  sessions educated women about the need to switch
  to cleaner cooking alternatives and highlighted
  the negative health impact of traditional cooking
  burners, or Chulhas.
• Heenabens enthusiasm for active participation in
  the training led to her being named a SHE School
  leader. She also brought about change in her own
  household by opting for the Agneeka Economic ICS,
  which saved her time.

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• Now, Heenabens family of ten only needs one kg
  of wood every day to prepare their meals, and the
  stove is at a comfortable height for Heenaben to
  sit and cook. Through her hard work and the aid
  of her ICS cookstove, Heenaben not only supports
  her family, but also ensures a better future for
  her sisters daughters through education. One is
  studying for a B.Sc. degree, and the other is
  preparing for her 12th-grade exams.
• Convinced by its benefits, Heenaben now wishes to
  promote the usage of ICS in nearby non-project
  villages. She believes that the drudgery of women
  can be alleviated with the help of ICS. ICS
  cookstove is saving time, fuelwood and our
  forest. Through the extra time I get from cooking
  on ICS, I stitch more clothes at my shop and earn
  more, adds Heenaben.
• About The Programme
• The Enabling Switching to Clean Alternatives
  (ESCA) programme, supported by Shell Energy
  Private Limited, aims to promote the transition
  of 6000 traditional cookstove dependent
  households to clean energy options. The programme
  operates in Vadpada, Umarpada, and Dang, Gujarat,
  focusing on capacity building, collectivisation,
  market development, and multi-stakeholder
  engagement actions. The story of Heenaben is a
  testament to the transformative power of this
  programme, showcasing how cleaner cooking
  solutions can strengthen families and empower
  women.