. I've been working with Prema and the team since 1993. I took over operations after she passed away. In those early days, we worked largely with disasters — the Gujarat Earthquake [2001], the Tamil Nadu tsunami [2004], floods in Bihar [2007] and in Kerala [2018]. We're working more extensively in three Indian states now — Kerala, Bihar and Maharashtra.Our focus is on restoration of livelihoods, especially for women.
in Marathwada [in the western Indian state of Maharashtra] when we worked there in 2012-15. When we surveyed the area, we realized that farmers there were planting only a single cash crop like sugar cane or cotton [crops produced only for their commercial value]. This was a problem, because if there was a climate-related disaster and the crop failed, they could not sell it and neither would they have money to buy food.
wanted to understand the energy needs in rural markets. So we partnered with them in that research. We found that cooking energy is a primary need in rural households. Together, we created a product — a"clean" cooking stove run on biomass pellets.
I plead BS