A big day to save the forest with eco-stoves

“Today is the day to save,” exclaimed a youth during the Eco-friendly Master Chef contest, celebrated in Madagascar during “Earth Hour” celebration on Saturday 24^th of March 2018.

More than 8 000 children and youth marched in support of eco-cooking that help save money and trees. With eco-stoves, Malagasy families use at least 50% less charcoal, and thus have more money in their pockets.
 
“Let’s save, so it will last by using eco-stoves” was the slogan that could be read on clothes, hats and signs during the carnival and Eco-friendly Master Chef contest.

Students from the Edenah School in Antananarivo and the Salines in Toliara School won the contest. One group prepared spiced fish spinach sauce, and the other made fish with banana fritters and fried sweet potatoes. The objective was to promote the use of efficient stoves to save the forests of Madagascar and the incredible biodiversity they contain.

50 mini-chefs reunited in Toliara and more than 6000 people at the carnivals in Tana and Morondava

In Toliara, the great court of Salines school of Bel Avenir NGO was transformed into a huge kitchen with 50 mini-chefs at the stoves created by the worskshop of local artisan of Ankoronga village.

In Antananarivo, a carnival around Lake Anosy mobilized more than 4 000 youth. Then, in front of the Mahamasina stadium, the five finalists teams of the contest in the capital cooked with the eco-stoves, provided by ADES, Papa Basile and Urgence/AFIBERIA and the charcoal was provided by Saribao Mateza. Sales of efficient fireplaces and other alternatives of ecological cooking (with ethanol, recycled coal, biogas ...) took place, with the participation of ADES, Artisans promoted by GIZ, Planète Urgence, ASENSE, Association Lanja Miakatra, VSF and producers of recycled coal.

In Morondava, nearly 2 000 people celebrated Earth Hour with a huge carnival, following a concert and a workshop to fabricate Kamado eco-stoves, led by the women from the villages on the mangroves of the Tsiribihina delta.
 
Always in the spirit of saving, under the stars of Ranomay and on the banks of the great Onilahy River, the villagers participated in a workshop where they learned to make solar pannels under the instruction of Tsimapoizy, one of the women chosen for the “solar grandmas” initiative. In addition, they watched a movie about the preservation of the environment, engaging more than 200 women from the villag.

The savings also extended to a meeting in Andapa. “Tsinjolavitra ho an’ny tontolo iainana” (Savings for nature), is the name of the community savings box, officially announced on March 24. Nine community groups in the Northern Highlands engaged to support a common savings fond, which will be dedicated to green or sustainable economic initiatives.
 
This year, Earth Hour tallied record attendance among youth organizations. Around 20 youth organizations in Madagascar were at the heart of the planning for this worldwide event that spanned more than 188 countries and territories.

Thank you to all participants :

. Youth organizations: The Vintsy Club Network, Nofy Maitso, Indian Ocean Climate Network, 2HY Faire lien, Green N Kool, Municipal English Club Club, Energy Reflection Group, Polytechnic Students Association in Meteorology, YMCA, Ank'Izy Association, Scouts (Tily sy Mpanazava eto Madagasikara), Fakotory, Thematic Group on Climate Change, Akany Avoko Ambohidratrimo Children's Center, FIVE, Mahery Youth Consortium, Morondava Youth Center, Mahabo Youth, Tuléar Lions Club and NGO Bright future.

. Producers of efficient stoves or other eco-friendly alternatives: the communities of women in Kamado, Papa Basile, VSF Anjomakely, VSF Talata Volonondry, VSF Anjomakely, A-SENSE, Stove Academy, ADES, Clean Cooking Madagascar, Angovo Man'Eva, SAFI, Papa Basile, 3M-Planet-Emergency / AFIBERIA, LLD and Page-Eco GIZ.

. Public institutions: Ministry of Transport and Meteorology, Ministry of Water, Energy and Hydrocarbons, Ministry of Environment, Ecology and Forests, Menabe Region, Sava Region, Andapa District , Urban Commune of Antananarivo, Municipality of Andapa, National Gendarmerie and National Police.

. Animators, artists, photographers and journalists: Tax, Dama, Francis Turbo, Oxygeniouz Africa, Maso Mahita, other volunteer photographers and videographers and dozens of journalists covering the event.

. Others: Federation of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs of Madagascar, National Office for the Environment, schools (LMA, Edenah, The premium, Fanfarons, Torch, Sedera, Agathe), International Conservation, WCS, CSA, APPA, Madagascar National Park, HELVETAS, OSDRM, TMTI, CirEEF, CirDA, Andapa Base Communities, Saragna NGO, Fanoitra NGO, Telma, Orange, Red Cross and firefighters.

Let’s save and connect to Earth! Through saving charcoal, let’s save the forest of Madagascar and its exceptional flora and fauna.