Soroptimist International

Soroptimist International is an NGO that describes itself as a "global volunteer movement working together to transform the lives of women and girls. Our network of around 80,000 club members in 130 countries and territories works at a local, national and international level to educate, empower and enable opportunities for women and girls".
Soroptimist International has completed three solar cooker installation in Fiji as part of their "See Solar, Cook Solar" program to provide a cleaner and more environmentally friendly cooking solution for women in rural and island locations.
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*October 2015: Soroptimist International reports that they have completed their third and final solar cooking installation in Fiji. This final solar cooker was installed at the Kubulau District Primary School in Bua, Vanua Levu. As with the previous installation, students were given the opportunity to share their knowledge of solar energy with the Soroptimist International Team. Community members participated in the the installation and received training on how to properly use the solar cooker, showing great enthusiasm through the entire process. Read more...
*June 2015: Soroptimist International announced on June 17th that they completed their second solar cooker installation in Fiji. The installation, which included training for the community on how to use the cooker, is located at the Nelson Palmer SDA Primary School in Navosa, Fiji. Read more...
*May 2015: Soroptimist International completed the first solar cooking installation in Fiji as part of their "See Solar, Cook Solar" program. The goal of the program is to provide a cleaner and more environmentally friendly cooking solution for women in rural and island locations. Read more...
==See Solar, Cook Solar==
See Solar, Cook Solar was established from the Soroptimist International President’s Appeal Fund, inspired and created by Soroptimist International President, Ann Garvie, 2013 – 2015 to provide solar cooking and solar lighting and to fit with the Soroptimist International goal, “to improve the lives and status of women and girls through education, empowerment or enabling opportunities.”
See Solar, Cook Solar supported 7 projects from across the three continents of Asia, Africa and Australia (Oceania); provided support directly to over 5,500 beneficiaries, the majority of whom were female, children and the elderly, saving 1,491,250 hours (cooking and education), GBP 284,873 in costs, and 2,644 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. The projects commenced in July 2014 and completed in September 2017.
The 7 projects varied in size and scope and are summarised as follows:
Fiji Solar Cookers & Solar Lamps – providing 9 parabolic solar cookers across 3 sites; 2 on the main Fiji island, BA Hart Home and Nelson Primary School, and the 3rd site on a small remote Island, Vanua Levu, Kubulua District School. The solar cookers were supplied by Aadhunik Global Energy, India and the installation and training provided by volunteers. 210 Sun King solar lanterns were provided to communities that were affected by Cyclone Winston in 2016, distributed by volunteers. 
Papua New Guinea Solar Lamps - provided 400 Flexiway Solar Lanterns to communities (schools, health/community centres) in remote areas of PNG – the Finschhafen and Huon districts. The lamps were distributed by volunteers and supplied by Solar Muscle, PNG.
Musasa School, Western Uganda – provided comprehensive support to 980 beneficiaries; including solar lighting, solar cooking, computers and a clean water system. The solar lighting was supplied by BBOXX, Uganda; the solar cooking was provided through a Villager Sun Oven, supplied by Sun Ovens International, USA; the laptops (DELL) were supplied by TM-Net Computer Services, Kasese, Uganda and the water collection tanks and wash facilities supplied by Connect Africa Ministries. Where possible, services/equipment was provided by local suppliers, and each supplier provided training in the use and maintenance of equipment.
Kinyaminagha School, Western Uganda – provided comprehensive support to 987 beneficiaries; including solar lighting, solar cooking, computers and a clean water system. Suppliers were selected based on the success of the Musasa School project. The solar lighting was supplied by BBOXX, Uganda; the parabolic solar cookers were provided by SunFire Solutions, with the back-up use of rocket stoves; the laptops (DELL) were supplied by TM-Net Computer Services, Kasese, Uganda and the water collection tanks and wash facilities supplied by Connect Africa Ministries. Full training was provided by the suppliers with sustainability at the forefront.
Nepal Solar Lanterns - provided support to the communities affected by the 2015 earthquake, 200 DLight S300 solar lamps were supplied to homes in villages within the Shivapuri National Park of Kathmandu District and Sindhupalchwok District. The distribution was a collaboration with members of Digdarsan Nepal due to the highly remote and inaccessible location of the beneficiaries. The lamps were supplied by Kalpavriksha Greater Goods, Nepal.
Koriome, Mali Solar Power & Cooking – provided solar cooking and solar lights to 20 homes in Koriomé, Timbuktu. All products were supplied by Sunfire Solutions, South Africa. The solar cooking was provided by their Sunfire 15 Solar Cookers, with back-up from a supply of Rocket Stoves; the lights were provided by their EcoBoxx BIAB and also by their Little Sun solar lanterns. Specific cooking pots were also supplied and Sun Bags to maximise efficiency. Due to the local situation and risks, the suppliers trained local volunteers, who in turn provided the training to the beneficiaries.
Full project reports were produced and are available on the Soroptimist International web site: https://www.soroptimistinternational.org/campaigns/see-solar-cook-solar/
==See also==
*Fiji
==External links==
*http://www.soroptimistinternational.org
==Contact==
Soroptimist International Headquarters
87 Glisson Road
Cambridge
CB1 2HG
United Kingdom
Email: hq@soroptimistinternational.org
Web: http://www.soroptimistinternational.org
Twitter: @SoroptiTweet
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Soroptimist-International/155559744494272
Category:United Kingdom
Category:Fiji