Ecofogao is a company which originated from the experience of Prolena, an NGO dedicated to wood energy modernization in Nicaragua, Honduras and Bolivia. Our mission is to manufacture efficient and cleaner woodstoves, at the lowest possible cost. We began commercial operation in Brazil in June 2004, and at the moment we are doing promotion of our four stoves models at fairs, expositions and through articles in the local media.
Contact Information
We are manufacturing in Brazil four models of Ecostoves, one for the better-off class, two for the middle class and business, and a fourth for the low income class. We are promoting the stoves through the local market, through NGOs and through the internet to reach beyond the state.
Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas
We are focused on the technology so far, and in Brazil our challenges are first to make people aware of the health consequences from IAP due to woodsmoke, and second for them to trust our technology, since it is an innovative technology and not well understood yet by the market. Therefore public demonstrations, interviews on media and a dynamic website is our strategy to quickly promote our technology.
As mentioned above, we are demonstrating the new technology to be culturally acceptable, in addition to creating partnerships with university programs for product design, marketing promotion and business management, stove technology improvement and alliances for social outreach with microcredit and rural energy promoters.
We are now focusing on manufacturing four models in serial production, and are in search of quality improvement and cost reduction.
No IAP monitoring initiative yet in Brazil, but we rely on data generated by Ecostove IAP research done in Nicaragua by CEIHD in 2001. For instance the CEIHD research concluded that The Ecostoves in comparation with open fires, were associated with 86% and 80% reduction in women exposure to PM2.5 for model A and B respectively, while on kitchen levels of PM2.5, Ecostoves reduced it by 94% and 87% respectively for models A and B
Relevant Publications or Studies
Evaluation of the Efficacy and Effectiveness of the EcoStove for Reducing Indoor Air Pollution Exposures Among Nicaraguan Women Prepared by: John McCracken and Dana Charron Center for Entrepreneurship in International Health and Development April 9, 2003 With support from: Energy Sector Management Assistance Program The World Bank Unpublished. MIRANDA, R. C. and TILNEY, F. G. The modernization of small business through the Ecostove in Nicaragua. Boiling Point, ITDG, Rugby, UK, Autumn 2001, Number 47, pages 3 - 5.
Our Contribution to the Partnership
We would like to participate in discussions related to the topic, to contribute ideas and suggestions where it is possible, to make alliances with other partners for mutual benefit, receiving volunteers, and jointly submiting project proposals.
