About Us
ANOMENA Ventures is a registered social enterprise based in Community 18, Tema, Ghana, West Africa with a mission to mainstream gender concerns into energy projects, produce and distribute energy efficient interventions as well as clean working environment. The ANOMENA-improved-LPG-Stoves have been designed to come in single, two- and three-unit versions specifically to serve the needs of the institutions, households and street food vendors, most of whom are women. It is an energy efficient stove that helps vendors and households to switch to cleaner, environmentally friendly and non-smoky faster cooking that save the women from smoke inhalation and congested working environment.
The primary market is the energy and environment sector in rural, peri-urban and urban areas in the sixteen regions of Ghana where street food vending abounds. The financial viability of switching from firewood to LPG has been done. The target group is reached through direct sales with payment by installment. Our key partners are faith based women’s groups who are clientele, Technicians who are production team and community based street food vendors.
ANOMENA-IMPROVED-LPG STOVES
The solution makes sense for customers because it meets the needs of Ghanaian consumers by improving health, providing clean environment and creating livelihood opportunities. It works for our partners because it provides employment. Our stove supports multiple productive uses extending well beyond the household, such as developing micro-enterprises.
It is our vision that Street food vendors and women entrepreneurs across West Africa operating from homes be supplied with ANOMENA- LPG stoves to empower them economically. At least Five thousand women have been taken through awareness creation and gender sensitisation workshops as well as training on safe use of LPG appliances. A pilot micro-finance scheme has enabled some of the women to purchase and own gas cylinders and stoves. In 2010 ANOMENA partnered the gender and energy network to produce a gender audit of the Ghana Energy Sector.
Expected Results: Provision of clean working environment has been provided saving women and families especially babies and children from smoke inhalation. Strengthened women’s economic empowerment and sustainable livelihoods as entrepreneurs, producers and rural-based community workers. Developed strategic activities and built partnerships to eradicate feminized poverty. Confidence building for women on the use of clean energy technologies. Workers and school children have access to fast cooked food in the mornings.
Results and Achievements.
A structure and a production line are in place. Stoves have been produced and distributed. School children now have access to fast cooked food and non-smoky environment for their studies. Women entrepreneurs have confidence and access to improved stoves. Beneficiaries are able to cook within the confines of their homes especially where dawn cooking is involved. The introduction of payment by instalment has enabled most beneficiaries to acquire the stoves and become economically empowered. Husbands and children supported the vendors and households to cook due to the provision of clean cooking environment. Our next line of action and objective is to make access to improved LPG stoves more affordable to low income households and street food vendors. Provide women in rural and urban communities with stoves that use cleaner, safer and sustainable energy as well as liberate women in low income households from negative health implications of cooking with wood. Lessons Learnt: When supported with a facility of payment by instalment women are able to purchase and own stoves. Saved time is used to improve family lives and participate in other activities. Collaboration with other agencies facilitates promotion of energy interventions. The use of fuel wood is completely eliminated saving school children from smoke inhalation and the forest for sustainability of the environment. Provision of LPG energy to urban and rural communities for development of small businesses in food preparation and agro processing.
Woman beneficiary preparing meals in a school kitchen with 3-in-1 ANOMENA-IMPROVED-LPG stove
For further information contact: Dr. Sabina Anokye Mensah. Email:sabinamensah@hotmail.com/anomena@hotmail.com