My name is Marta Andresen and I am in Grade 10. Just before the start of our school holidays I read some headlines …‘Mum and teenager die in a shack fire in Swakopmund’. This shocked me, I had never heard of something like this before.
Turns out that was just my ignorance. As I searched deeper all I saw was a never ending pit of comparable news. How come I had not heard of this before? So many people were victim, or at risk, losing their life, family and belongings. And yet this problem stayed silent and overlooked. Unknown to most of our community, I decided I had to change that.
What are shack fires? Informal settlement fires refer to fires that occur randomly in shacks (small crumpled iron units without running water, heating or electricity) and run the risk of becoming out of control. These often occur because of the flammable materials the shacks are made from, the lack of distance between the shacks, the fire-favourable weather conditions and finally, the biggest contributor, the lack of access to safe energy sources
Everytime a family living in a shack cooks or tries to keep warm on winter nights they put themselves and their neighbours at risk. If there is a moderate gust of wind while the fire is on, the shack is at high risk of catching fire because of how flammable it is. And then the neighbours’ shacks are likely to follow because of how close they are (less than what is considered safe).
How can we help?
A new and successful Namibian initiative ‘George’s Block Brick Stove Project’. It presents the most efficient, simple and cost effective solution to this impending issue. The current prototype requires 4 x 60 NAD bricks and 2 steel bars. This straightforward solution would not only solve the current shack fire problem but it would also…
1- Uses less fuel than a normal stove (it’s more energy efficient)
2- sustain fire for longer so used paper and carton can be used for fuel rather than wood
3- Less wood needed= less deforestation
4- Reduces chances of burn injuries due to fires
5- Creates business opportunities for people cutting, selling and transporting the bricks
All that is left is spreading awareness. Informing informal settlement communities of this solution so it can be used and all these casualties can be prevented.
If you would like to get more closely involved with the project please contact me mandresenserra@wis.edu.na
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