[[Video:Haitian Sun Ovens|400px|thumb|none|Visit the Dominican Republic and Haiti with Force of the Sun. Donate Sun Ovens to people in need.]]
Force of the Sun is working in cooperation with Sun Ovens International to build Sun Ovens in the Dominican Republic for distribution in Central America and Caribbean. Sun Ovens are quality-built and last for decades, making them much cheaper to use over time than propane. They also keep the cooks in the family from breathing dangerous wood smoke and propane fumes. This can be empowering especially for women populations who do most of the cooking.
Dominican families bring in less than $300 US on average every month, and they spend an average of $25 - $50 per month on propane to cook their food. Sun Ovens can cook traditional Dominican food better and safer than propane or wood. Traditional Dominican food cooked in Sun Ovens will be a centerpiece of the tourist day-excursion to the El Fuego del Sol property. International tourists will finance the program through their tour fees, and the ovens will go to the Dominicans who pay little or no money up front to participate for the day. But, to participate in the program, the Dominican family must agree to gradually buy a Sun Oven for a Haitian family in payments that will be less per week than they will be saving in propane expense. So the Sun Ovens financed by the tourists set in motion the purchase TWO ovens for use by families for years to come. The concept is pay-it-forward.
Significant dates
2005
- Contracted with Sun Ovens International
- December. 1: Force of the Sun pariticpated in the Global Social Venture Conference, Columbia University, New York
2006
- February.1: Development Started on the El Fuego del Sol property just west of Higuey in the Dominican Republic
- March.26: First El Fuego del Sol arts and fire festival
- April.1: Sun Oven factory opens in new Free Zone Ecological
- April. 9: First Shipment of Sun Oven parts arrives at new factory
- April. 25: First Sun Ovens are produced in the DR!
- May 10: First Full Production Sun Ovens in our factory
- June 21: Adair Performance CxA (AP) featured on National Public Radio´s Worldview program
- June 26: Sun Ovens and ecoutourism project featured at Chicago event attended by over 200 people
- August 24: Force of the Sun project featured at ecotourism brainstorming session San Francisco, California
2007
- January 10: Ecotourism center license achieved
- January 29: Major shipment of 20 Sun Ovens head to Angola
Sun Ovens can save hundreds of trees and save a ton of carbon use for each year they are used by a family. Sun Ovens can last for over 20 years. Click the link below for more information on how you can help. Plus, if you are planning work trips to a location such as Haiti, please consider Sun Ovens to significantly reduce the environmental impact that their presence has on the local region. If you budget for a few Sun Ovens; we can deliver them to you in the Haitian capital; you can train your hosts in the skill of solar cooking, and then leave them with the Sun Ovens when you depart. Charcoal can require 55% of a family’s income. You can improve lives and fight deforestation at the same time!
See also
External links
- http://www.forceofthesun.com
- Donate ovens to poor families
- http://www.elfuegodelsol.com
- Kevin Adair featured on National Public Radio´s Worldview program
- Paul Munsen of Sun Ovens International interviewed on NPR's Worldview program