By Chisomo Phiri
In an effort to conserve the environment, a 20 year old boy from Mulanje George Kalichero has innovated an electric stove called Kalichangu stove.
In a separate interview, Kalichero said the stove has been designed to use electricity when cooking instead of charcoal hence minimizing the deforestation that comes due to charcoal production.He said the stove uses only waste-made briquettes or lava rocks for it to gain a start-up heat and once it has gained heat, the rest is done by electric power.
” When using Kalichangu stove, what you all need to have are waste-made briquettes or lava rocks, just two to three of them for it to gain heat. Once it has gained heat, the rest you use electricity” said Kalichero.
On its use and efficiency, Kalichero explained that the stove is efficiency as it does not require a lot of electric power or briquettes to operate.
” Kalichangu is very efficiency in use. It does not require a lot of electric power or waste-made briquettes to operate it. Firstly, wen using Kalichangu, you need to have 3 waste-made briquettes and put them in the stove. After that, you put a match stick in the stove. Once you place a put on this stove, the stove automatically starts working”, he explained.
He added that the stove is made with up a socket where you can place a charger so as to either increase or decrease amount of fire during cooking.
” It has a socket where you put a charger and this is when you are using electricity. What happens is that, you increase or decrease the amount of fire during cooking and the stove is very fast. If you do not have ESCOM electricity, you can also use solar panel as the stove does not require a lot of energy to operate” said Kalichero.
The Kalichangu stove is made up using motor charges of a laptop, switches, plain sheets, wires and bolts.It is safe all the wires are placed inside hence reducing the risk of electric shock.
Kalichero said he came up with the idea of inventing this electric stove so as to play a big role in conserving the environment by avoiding deforestation for charcoal burning.
” As youths, we have more time to live on this earth and it is our responsibility to conserve the environment. Charcoal production is one of the biggest challenges contributing to deforestation, so as youths who are to stay longer on this earth, we have to bring innovative ideas on how to conserve the environment”, said Kalichero.
The innovator cited lack of materials being the biggest challenge he is facing to make more of these stoves which he believes will help a lot in conserving the environment countrywide.
” I have plans to establish my company where I will be making these stoves and employ my fellow youths, but the challenge remains how to have adequate materials. The materials are hard to find and I wish the government should support my work”, he said.
Kalichero has therefore called on government and other well-wishers to support him so as he scale up his project.
