Usha Uran, an oven chef who was up in a remote town, learned the negative effects of stove smoke on the environment and human health after taking part in a climate change program. She is also transforming the lives of women by giving them a source of money and a healthy way to cook.
Usha Uran, who was raised in a four-wall environment and was born in a tiny village, is calling on society to adopt a climate change program since it has transformed her.
Yes, she is transforming the lives of women by teaching them to cook healthfully and educating them about the damaging consequences of stove smoke on the environment.
For a very long time, women’s usage of firewood to cook and blow out the stove was seen as challenging; yet, the health risks associated with inhaling smoke from the stove were overlooked.
The trachea allows the poisonous air from wood stoves to enter your lungs when you breathe it in. Eventually, the airways are impacted, Although the invention of cylinders revolutionized many kitchens, some towns and regions still experience this issue. Usha Uran was one such person who was raised in a village, died in a hearth, and lived inside four walls. After attending a climate change lecture, she has been educating women about the importance of clean cooking and the environmental harm caused by stove smoke.
Given that ladies use wood-burning stoves because they can’t afford the cylinders, he first makes a change in their circumstances by providing them with an income source before turning off the stoves. Usha has converted 347 women in 4 panchayats to clean cooking so far with her efforts, which is not only remarkable but also motivational for others to emulate.
Usha Oran, a native of Khakbarda village in the Lohardaka area of Jharkhand, has never spoken to anyone but her family members as neighbors. He changed after taking part in a program on climate change, and he is now pushing for society to adopt this change as well. Usha talks about how she went from being a homemaker to helping the less fortunate people by being a mentor.
“Even though I had a foundational education, I lived inside four walls. My days were spent doing housework and tending to my three sons. I went to a climate change event in December 2021 that was sponsored by the Jharkhand State Livelihood Development Association and the non-profit organization Hope.
I had the opportunity to speak up on stage for the first time. Being able to speak in front of everyone made me joyful. because I’ve never had the confidence to speak with anyone outside of my family.
I used to cook on wood stoves, much like most of the ladies in the hamlet. I used an LPG cylinder because they are more expensive and it is easier to get fuel for a wood burner. I didn’t know how the continuous use of biomass impacts women’s health until I went to a class on climate change.
I came to see how significant this problem is. A organization surveyed houses in the district to determine their fuel consumption in order to determine why women aren’t moving to cleaner fuels like LPG. I participated in it as well and did some math. I began working on the Cleaner Air Better Health initiative as a “Bardana,” which translates to “Moving Forward” in Oran language. This project was supported by the US Agency for International Development and two charitable organizations, Azar and Hope.
I learned from speaking with the women in the hamlet that they don’t have access to LPG cylinders, so they cook on wood fires. I believed that women who make more money might better support their families, give clean cooking first priority, and set aside money for monthly needs like buying cylinders.
I then made it my goal to improve the quality of life for hundreds of women who were experiencing similar struggles as myself. I used basic tools to hold awareness sessions for women in my town. My actions led to my appointment as the Jharkhand State Livelihood Development Association’s head of the particular block. We had discussions to talk about the choices for people’s livelihoods. I helped women gain access to many government and livelihood programs. I assisted women in launching side ventures like animal husbandry.
We provided lending support to two women in June of last year so they could begin raising pigs. They purchased two piglets and proceeded to construct a shelter out of materials that could be found nearby. They bought an LPG cylinder and gave up their wood stove with the money they made from the piggery. In four panchayats—Rampur, Tigra, Baga, and Patgijri—I have moved 374 women to gas stoves. To make sure they are adhering to a clean cooking schedule, I have been checking in with them on a regular basis.
I have also entirely moved to a stove that runs on gas. “I aspire for every woman to experience pure air and financial independence in the near future,” she said with a satisfied sigh.
