Cooking a multi-pot meal on a four-burner range or reheating last night’s leftovers in the microwave are conveniences that most of us take for granted, and it’s easy to forget that not everyone has such amenities. For hundreds of millions of people around the world, cooking a meal or even just boiling water is a laborious chore.

The majority of families in developing countries live without electricity, gas, or utilities, and rely on open fires or stoves fueled by wood or dung to cook their food. Some families may have the “luxury” of a fossil-fueled burner or stove, but they end up spending much of their meager income on fuel, or having to trade a portion of what little food they have for fuel canisters.

In many places, women and children walk miles and spend between six and eight hours each day collecting fuelwood. As the perimeter of the resultant deforestation grows, the task becomes that much more time-consuming— forcing them to walk greater distances, and ultimately, leaving the family with little time to pursue other things, such as education and income-generating activities.

The problem is compounded by health concerns. Smoky fires and poor ventilation contribute to respiratory diseases among women and children. And, because fuel and firewood shortages often make water boiling impractical, millions of people become sick and die every year from waterborne diseases.

Solar Cookers International (SCI) is harnessing the power of the sun to help rural communities develop safer and more efficient ways of cooking. Since 1987, the Sacramento-based nonprofit has helped thousands of families in multiple countries to cook food and pasteurize water with simple solar cookers.

SCI’s efforts are largely concentrated in eastern Africa, where the group has a satellite office, and conditions are prime for solar cooking. Through demonstrations at marketplaces, churches, and other public places, the group raises awareness of solar cooking and solar water pasteurization, and helps women develop and run solar cooking businesses in rural communities.

Key to SCI’s program is its signature “CooKit” solar cooker, which is distributed with a black pot and oven roasting bags. For water pasteurization, the CooKit is paired with a water storage container and a reusable water pasteurization indicator that helps users determine when water has reached pasteurization temperatures. The group also has developed an easy-to-use, inexpensive laboratory kit that allows communities to test local water sources for 25 contaminants.

The group’s “integrated cooking” approach encourages the use of solar cookers when the sun is shining but also promotes more efficient methods for fuel-based cooking. One of the more popular methods is the use of simple baskets or boxes lined with straw, sawdust, or blankets. Much like a Dutch oven, these baskets keep food warm and even allow food to continue cooking after being removed from a heat source, thereby reducing the amount of fuel or firewood necessary.

—Kelly Davidson