Eco-Stove for Communities in Rural Honduras

Securing long term funding will be a constant focus of this project. Every step of implementation will need to be executed in a manner which can be documented and evaluated with this goal in mind. With Shoulder to Shoulder's established and thorough database, documenting the project and tracking the health benefits through the medical records in the region should be easily facilitated. In addition to this form of documentation, surveys will be performed. These surveys will focus on notable improvements in respiratory health as well as satisfaction with and efficiency of eco-stoves received. Through compiling this information, the success of this project in this area can be demonstrate to when applying for further funding.
Besides receiving more grants after a successful pilot of this program, I hope to continue funding the project through brigade participation. This will be the more challenging aspect of the project, which I will believe will have the highest yield if done correctly. Shoulder to Shoulder already receives a large amount of funding from brigade fees, which come from groups volunteering from the United States to travel to Honduras and work on various projects. These fees have previously been used to supplement other programs such water filter distribution after brigades became interested in this program. My current position with Shoulder to Shoulder involves helping to coordinate the brigade program and working with brigades when they are in-country. Shoulder to Shoulder is excited about the prospect of my effort to link an eco-stove project with my current work and to allow brigade members to participate in the distribution program through assisting the local staff with education or construction. Through exposing brigades to a functional model of a eco-stove distribution, I hope to begin developing an additional funding source for this project. I have previously worked with Global Brigades which is an NGO which has used this model effectively to fund eco-stove construction. With this component, however, comes the additional challenge of integrating brigade members into this project in manner which will spur beneficial cultural exchange. This entails creating an environment where families receiving stoves are not uncomfortable with a small group of Americans entering their home and one in which brigade members are encouraged to reflect on and participate in conversations which engage them in the project.

Numerous partnerships will be necessary to make this project a success. The first partnership will be with Shoulder to Shoulder. I have already established a strong partnership with this organization through working as a long-term volunteer and coordinating the brigade program over the past three months. Through my current position, I have been provided housing in a clinic in Honduras and will remain in Honduras for over a year. By living and working in the communities where this project will take place, I have also been able to begin building the necessary relationships to successfully begin this project. By partnering with Shoulder to Shoulder I will also have access their numerous strong partnerships. Shoulder to Shoulder has a contract with the Honduran government which subsidizes their programs in the region. Shoulder to Shoulder also partnerships with over twenty academic institutions and medical centers who frequently travel to work on brigades. Through working closely with the Honduran staff and government in combination with our affiliates in the States to launch this program, I hope to continue the NGO's mission of combining the best of both cultures and working Shoulder to Shoulder.
Outside of Shoulder to Shoulder, it will be important to continue building strong partnerships with the community. Since the goal of this project is only to subsidize the construction of eco-stoves, a relationship must be established with communities so that recipients of the eco-stoves feel confident in investing their resources and time in constructing these stoves.

In model where part of this project will be subsidized by brigade fees, individuals will begin to play a large role in funding this project. After establishing a protocol and training the health promoters and masons during the first six months, I hope to being including brigade members in the construction process. Through allowing brigades members participating this process, brigade fees can begin to used to fund supplies for the construction of more eco-stoves. Additionally, with the funding to begin this program and demonstrating a successful implementation, I plan on applying for other grants and to other foundations for the further funding. In addition, Shoulder to Shoulder will continue to assist with funding these projects as well as providing the man power, in-country resources, and insight necessary for the project. Through working with Shoulder to Shoulder, I will access to transportation necessary to carry supplies and travel to the communities. I will also have access to the database and health promoters needed for implementation. The construction of eco-stoves will also require recipients to invest in the project. A review of similar models demonstrates that requiring this participant investment is necessary to ensure that families receiving the stoves maintain their stoves. Through requiring able to families to contribute to a portion of the costs, less funding will be needed to sustain the project. A protocol will be in place for families unable to pay the minimal investment fee which will create a system for fairly assessing if their fee is waived.