Six weeks ago we were contacted by Samaritans Purse and asked if we were interested in partnering with them on a wood stove project. Since then we have spent a lot of time assessing heating needs, doing paperwork, and making beneficiary lists. The criteria to receive a stove is that the house must be damaged and must be in an area of combat. We committed to installing 333 wood stoves and 77 electric stoves.

 

Each household that receives a stove will also receive four cubic meters of wood, as well as several blankets, tarps, and some sheeting to weatherproof and insulate the bomb damage on the buildings. Most of these places have no running water, electric, natural gas, or heat source. These stoves will provide heat this winter and a place to cook, replacing the open fires they are currently using.

 

Many of the recipients are actually bomb shelters where anywhere from five to twenty people live in several basement rooms in order to escape the combat happening in their area. Installing stoves in the shelters will allow us to have maximum impact on the amount of people that will have access to heat. Our responsibility in this project is to find and vet the recipients, install or oversee the installment of the stoves, and source and deliver the firewood.

 

This project is another way we can meet the needs of a vulnerable population and provide hope in the midst of chaos.