Earth Institute - Millennium Development Village Project - Special Achievement Award

Earth Institute's plaque reads: In appreciation and recognition of your dedication to meeting local community needs through household energy interventions.

The Earth Institute’s Millennium Villages Project supports the integrated social and business development services for more than 500,000 people in rural communities across 10 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Two of the goals of the infrastructure sector within the Millennium Development Village Project are to increase access to markets through improved roads and information communication technologies (ICT), and boost access to energy, via improved biomass cookstoves. The biomass cookstove program has been launched in the Millennium Development Villages in 6 countries and will be launched in two additional countries before the end of 2010. The program includes a systematic approach for surveying and discerning the wants and needs of the community. Women are asked to rank all the stoves tested and how much they are willing to spend for each of the stoves. The program’s thorough social marketing approach includes posters, music and rallies.

Please see the Bulletin 27 Awards Supplement for an interview with Earth Institute's Kate Kennedy Freeman.

Earth Institute special achievement award for meeting social and behavioral needs