Sport Solar Ovens delivered to Nicaragua continued
Fatima Centeno of AVODEC said, “We have people come to the office and ask about more solar oven. I say to them that we will bring another project to cover them. The people are using the solar oven when it is hot. . . I think we can start a big solar oven project soon.”
The people of St. Edwards Catholic Church collected donations to buy the ovens at $60 per oven (cost of unassembled ovens for developing countries). Each donor was asked to fill out a card with their name, list of family members and what they like to do in life. These cards were translated and included with the ovens when they were distributed. Nicaraguan recipients were charged $10 per Sport, “so they would have respect for them,” according to Kellett.
St. Edwards volunteers spent part of December and January at the Solar Oven Society preparing Sport oven parts for packing and shipping.
Despite ample shipping time, the container of Sport parts was held up in customs, and not delivered until after the St. Edwards volunteers had returned home. Volunteers did assist in training trainers to teach others how to use the ovens. Sue Kellet and Andrew Knutson, stayed longer to work with AVODEC and Nicaraguan volunteers to assemble the ovens, provide more training and distribute them.
McGeehin later reported to Kellet, “…we distributed more than 60 ovens to community members of Sabana Grande and two other neighboring communities. Everyone left happy and proud to have received such a special gift. The following day, we awoke to gran solazo and all this week it has been sunny. The people received the ovens just in time to take advantage of the last hot days of the Nicaraguan summer. I’ve been enjoying the successes too, having tasted tortas from more than one oven. I’ve heard stories of cooked rice, beans, baked chicken, chicken soups, vegetable stews with milk, etc. The people are realizing the benefits of the ovens and the power of the sun. One of my favorite results is that the people are already innovating on recipes. They are cooking things that I would have never thought possible. For example, my neighbor cooked mangos verdes to later put in a fresco. The mangos cook better in the solar oven than over a fire. The cascara is softer and it holds in more of the flavor.”
For more detailed information about the Nicaraguan project, click here to read Andrew Knutson’s report.
Mike Port, Executive Director of Solar Oven Society, says Nicaragua is one of the first areas Solar Ovens focused on, starting in 1994. 
In the area of Leon, Nicaragua, various solar cookers were tested and through observing them, design features were incorporated into the Sport solar oven. Port said, “It is very gratifying to see the SOS Sport distributed in Jinotega. The cooking fuel problem has certainly gotten worse since our first trip to Nicaragua in 1994. We look forward to a long-term relationship with our Nicaraguan friends.”
If you would like to help send Sport solar cookers to Nicaragua, consider sending $60, the whole sale cost of manufacturing one cooker to: Solar Oven Society, 3225 East Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55413 or click here and go to donations and write in Nicaragua.
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