My dream has come true-Moyna Rani Mondal

In news on October, 2015

“My dream has come true. I have been making sincere effort for a long time to invent an oven which is environment friendly, requires less fuel and comparatively easy to use. The recognition from the Khulna division has inspired me much. I had been working as associates of many organizations to invent such oven but none of them had extended helping hands to recognize my work. It is BARCIK which inspired me much and help me to apply for the award in division level. Today, I received the environment medal of 2015 in division level. This has been possible for me due to the intensive support I received from BARCIK. As a woman it would be difficult for me to get the award and to be respected. Many people now know me, congratulated me and wanted to know my works. I am really greatful to BARCIK and the people who have been extending their support to make my dream true.”

The above statement was given by Moyna Rani Mondal, a woman from Talbaria village under Shymanagar of Satkhira who recently was awarded environment medal in division level of Bangladesh for her contribution in protecting the environment through inventing environment friendly oven. Moyna Rani received the award from the Khulna division comissioner in an event held to mark the world environment day-2015. The event was presided over by the district comissioner of Khulna where people of different classes, ages, occupations and government officials, NGOs representatives, civil society members and journalist witnessed the achivement of this rural woman and came to know about her contribution, work and effort to protect the environment.

What made Moyna Rani Mondal to invent such an oven that brought her many awards from unions to division levels? Moyna Rani Mondal while describing the context of making the oven said, “I have come from a poor family. After getting married to support my family I had to work in the fields, collect prwan in the Sunderbans and did some other works to earn cash. Due to being busy to earn bred sometimes I do not get enough fuel for cooking. Thus I thought if I could make an oven that requires less fuel and produces less smoke it could be great use for me.” She went on saying, “However, since then I started to make such oven and after lot of effort and experiment I succeeded in inventing the expected oven.”

Moyna Rani Mondal uses stalks, wood, dry leaves, grass and some other easy available fuel in her new invented oven. Her oven is unique and different from the traditional oven. One can make 8 holes in this model of oven. This oven requires less fuel and does not produce lot of smoke. The utensils do not get blackened while cooking food using this oven. One can save 50-60% heat using the oven as the heat does not spread outside the oven. The generated heat inside the oven is fully used for cooking which leads the users to cook their food within short period of time. Due to having the quality to save energy, produces less smokes and and requires less fuel, many people entitled this as an environment friendly oven. Generally, muds, cement pipe and iron rods are required to make such oven and the cost for making such oven is only BDT 300/400.

The quality of the oven has made it popular among people of her village. The popularity has reached to different people in different areas. Thus today the oven of Moyna Rani has reached to village, unions, sub-district, district and division levels. Many people now use the oven and asked her to train them so that they could make such oven by themselves. Moyna Rani also trained many women so that they could make such oven that directly contributes in reducing the emission of carbon. Moyna Rani so far has received many awards as well as recognition from government and non governmental organizations, students, farmers, women and some other people. The latest recognition came from the division which makes her very proud. She hopes some day she will surely receive award from the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.