I am Mr. Joseph Odey, a promoter of solar cooking technology in Nigeria, West Africa. I started promoting solar cooking in 2000. I have taught hundreds of people on how to make and use solar cookers. My activities include among others the lecturing of students at institutions of learning and demonstrating solar cookers with food ingredients to the admiration of students and staff. I organise workshops and seminars on renewable energies, especially emphasizing the benefits of solar cookers. Several rural communities in Nigeria are my targets especially those suffering due to the high cost of fuelwood for cooking that is biting hard into the families' meagre incomes.
The first joint workshop on solar cooking was organized by my organization with the collaboration of Girls Guide/Scouts of America for the Girl Guides of Nigeria. The program was held at the Women Centre, Area 11, Garki Abuja FCT, Nigeria. Ms. Barby Pulliam of Girl Guide/Scout of America who is my colleaque on solar cooker promotion was my partner and part sponsor of the programme. She also sponsored Stella and Esther from Tanzania and Kenya respectively to come and join me as foreign partners. The materials for the productions of the cookers used at the occation were gotten here in Nigeria without importing any from outside the country. The workshop started on the 15th to 20th May, 2006.
Total number of 55 Girl Guide Members from 25 states out of the 36 states of Nigeria were in attendance. It was organized solely for the Girl Guides association of Nigeria.
I am happy to report that the result of the workshop was sucessful as food items, like rice and stew were cooked as samples to the taste of all the participants. Especially that the Girl Guide members were seeing the cookers for the first time. The idea for the hosting of this workshop was conceived by me and was supported by Barby Pulliam while we were in Nairobi Seminar on Solar cooking in February, 2005. I followed up on the proposal to the Girl Guides of Nigeria Headquarters and make sure it was implemented and hence the report for your perusal.
I will send my proposal for funding assistance to you if you know of any possibilities for funding. Thanks as I hope to hear from you.
Contact
Joseph Odey, P.O. Box 300, Kainji, New Bussa, Niger State, Nigeria. E-mail: joeodey2003@yahoo.com
Activities
- May 2006: The first joint workshop on solarcooking was organized by my organization with the collaboration of GirlsGuide/Scout of America for the GG of Nigeria. The program was held at the Women Centre, Area 11, Garki Abuja FCT, Nigeria. Ms. Barby Pulliam of GG/SCOUT of America was part sponsor of the programme. She also sponsored Stella and Esther from Tanzania and Kenya respectively to come and join me as foreign partners. The materials for the productions of the cookers used at the occation were gotten here in Nigeria without importing any from outside the country. The workshop started on the 15th to 20th May, 2006. Total number of 55 Girl Guide members from 25 states out of the 36 states of Nigeria were in attendance. It was organized solely for the GG association of Nigeria. I am happy to report that the result of the workshop was sucessful as food items, like rice and stew were cooked as samples to the taste of all the participants. Especially that the vGG members were seeing the cookers for the first time. The idea for the hosting of this workshop was conceived by me and was supported by Barby Pulliam while we were in Nairobi Seminar on Solarcooking in February,2005. I followed up on the proposal to the GG of Nigeria Headquater and make sure it was implemented and hence the report for your perusals.
- November 2005: Joseph Odey exhibited solar cookers at the "Fish For All" summit in Abuja, Nigeria this past August. The summit brought together industry and government leaders to discuss the current status and future directions of African fisheries and aquaculture. Mr. Odey estimates that over 90% of the participants witnessed his exhibit. He says that demand for the solar cookers is high, and he believes that Nigeria is ripe for solar cooker proliferation, but governmental support is needed. While speaking with the press, Mr. Odey said, "Nigeria is blessed with abundant sunshine that will benefit its citizen if the technology is supported by the government." His efforts to spread solar cookers in Nigeria are currently under financial restraint, and he is looking for assistance in this regard.
- July 2005: Mr. Joseph Odey of the Kainji Lake region reports that he has built and distributed 290 solar cookers in the past few years. In addition, 152 people were taught to make and use their own solar cookers. Demonstrations have been given in 18 villages. Before promoting, Mr. Odey built and tested his own cooker from instructions published by Solar Cookers International. His first solar meal was rice, but he soon moved on to cooking stew, cake, bread and other foods. Mr. Odey uses the following locally available tools and supplies: cardboard, aluminum foil, glue, knife, scissors and tape, as well as black pots for cooking in. Though he does sell some cookers, he pays production, distribution and travel expenses. "The beneficiaries confirmed that the [meals] from the cookers are quite palatable, but not for someone who wants food in a hurry," Mr. Odey reports.
- March 2003: Says Mr. Odey, "I am happy to let you know that a total of 113 cookers were distributed to 15 villages within the Kainji Lake area, with an average of five cookers per village. This distribution was done by demonstration after teaching them how to make and use the cookers. Food ingredients of different varieties were cooked with the cooker as samples and were tasted by all those present. The cookers used for demonstration were then sold to interested buyers at the cost of N350.00 only. After two months, I went around the villages where the cookers were distributed for monitoring and evaluation. It was discovered that more than 200 additional cookers had been constructed by the villagers and were in use. Some migrating fishermen carry theirs along with them. My reaching out to them with the technology was to impart the knowledge of how to make and use it. Materials for construction were displayed for the people for proper viewing and identification. I purchased all these materials and took them along with me to the field. At the Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON) conference held in Maiduguri, Nigeria, in November 2001, solar cookers were demonstrated by me and it was discovered that the cooking times were faster due to the intense sunlight in that area. The State Governor who witnessed the program commended the technology and wished that it would be extended to the state."
Contact
P.O. BOX 300
KAINJI, NEW BUSSA
NIGER STATE
Nigeria
Office: 08054484412