The best way to acquire the necessary technical skill to construct a stove is to try to construct one. This rarely takes place in training workshops because the trainers have only theoretical knowledge of stove construction and lack the technical skills needed to construct a fully operational stove. Although trainees could have been taught how to construct a wide range of stove designs and types which use all sorts of materials, only the most commonly used materials and stove designs in the trainees' respective working areas were actually taught. Thus, four different stove designs were constructed by the four groups of trainees using mud and bricks. The groups were as follows:
|
Group 1 |
Group 2 |
Group 3 |
Group 4 |
|
Indu |
Sushila |
Lulu |
Sadhana |
|
Hong |
Thong |
Sulpya |
Luitel |
|
Nazmul |
Zaher |
Lwin |
Adhong |
|
Han |
Myo |
Beang |
Vu |
|
Jigmela |
Koma |
Husni |
Thayut |
The mud stove construction
Each group was given one stove design. The following diagrams illustrate the different mud stove designs to be constructed and two examples of the stoves made by the trainees.
In the first stage, which took one whole afternoon, each group mixed the mud and formed the stove body. The stove bodies were then left to dry for three days, and later the trainees returned for another afternoon session to make holes and chimneys to complete the stoves. Because the trainees were so eager to know the results of their work (although in reality they understood that this should not be done) they attempted to fire their stoves.
The brick stove construction
Similarly, different brick stove designs were given to the four groups. Under the supervision of the technical trainers and some of the trainees with technical experience in stove construction, the brick stoves were finished in one afternoon session and the results were quite satisfying. The different brick stove designs and pictures of the finished stoves are shown below. Unlike the mud stoves that need to be left to dry for several days before making the holes, the brick stoves can immediately be shaped and finished. However, to prevent cracking, the users must wait for several days for the stove to dry before using it.
In general the participants really appreciated the hands-on experience constructing stoves and they admitted that they learned a lot more from being able to construct the stove themselves. Some related that this was the first time they had attended a stove training workshop which allowed real construction work.
Some of the mud stove designs and actual samples built by the participants are shown in the accompanying diagrams.
Some of the mud stove designs and actual samples built by the participants 1
Some of the mud stove designs and actual samples built by the participants 2
One and two pot brick stove designs and the stoves as built during the training 1
One and two pot brick stove designs and the stoves as built during the training 2
