Solar Education Project

Last edited: 19 April 2024

Solar Education Ppoject 2020 — We Care to Share Training 2016 Chantal, Haiti, organized by Sharon Cousins with Mary Buchenic, Jennifer Gasser, and Haines Solar Cookers, *Photo credit: SEP*

The Solar Education Project is a nonprofit organization based in Ohio, USA, co-founded by Mary Buchenic and Jennifer Gasser. SEP's mission promotes solar cookers as tools for education, wellness, economic empowerment and ecosystem recovery. Education transforms lives, and solar cookers are the perfect STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math with content in the arts and other disciplines) tool to promote sustainability and reduce fossil fuel dependence. Solar cookers offer an opportunity to utilize the sun's free energy to cook meals while sharing STEM concepts, See SEP Classroom Resources.

Solar thermal energy for cooking does not have to be harvested, gathered, extracted, processed, transported or burned, thereby having less impact on the ecosystem. If the sun is shining, you have all the free fuel you need to cook! Solar cookers are the perfect tool for STEM education, cross-curricular collaborations, and for theme-based learning.

Website https://gdsnonprofit.org/solar-education-project for more information on how to use solar cookers as tools for education. As one of SEP's students said with great enthusiasm, "This is EDIBLE EDUCATION!"

News[]

NEW: December 2023 - SEP's Global Maker's Group met with Marek Pantel of Lazola at CONSOLFOOD 2023. The Lazola Initiative promotes the development and dissemination of the solar cookers in sun rich regions of the world through a video supported construction manual for local production. The Global Makers Committee members purchased sample ovens for use in Ohio, California and Minnesota projects.
November 2023 - Solar Cooker Ambassador, Elie Joseph, and his wife Aline initiated a student solar cooking program using SEP's STEM Through Solar Cooking resources at the Hope Orphanage in Haiti. PPAF, Haines Solar Cookers and Sun Dome Solar Ovens partnered to train the school cooks and students in the DARE Method and other solar cooking techniques.
October 2023- Solar Education Project's Maker Initiative introduces Bernard Muller's Afrishiner's Workshop of the Armstrong Women Empowerment Center in Kisumu, Kenya to introduce the art of retained heat basket Making and integrated cooking solutions. https://youtu.be/OCpjud7xiLw
September 2023- United Nations NY: Jennifer Gasser of SEP attended the SDG Action Weekend events at the United Nations with members of the Education and Academia Stakeholder Group and the Global Campaign for Education. Vernor Munoz Villalobos presided over the important session "Transforming Education, Building a Better Future", the SDG Action Zone and the SDG launch the of the Transforming Education Initiative.
August 2023 -Learn about the Hubbard Public Library Solar Cooker Lending Program - CHECK IT OUT - Literally! The Solar Education Project arrived at the local Farmer's Market to promote the Library Lending Program utilizing the solar cookers available to loan. The lending program is in the 3rd year and is used by the school science classes, parents and students.
July 2023 - The CONSOLFOOD Conference in La Coruna, Spain was well attended and offered one of a kind collaborations and educational opportunities. SEP presented original theme based learning programs using solar cookers as teaching tools for STEAM education. Watch the video to see teachers and students embrace solar cookers as an instructional tools, great for hands on learning. https://youtu.be/-ye6d3j_SM0
June2023 - The Impact Academy, in Campbell OH hosted the Solar Education Project to introduce the concept of solar cooking to the 2023 Summer Manufacturing Institute students. The engineering design process and the creative processes were encouraged to develop a working prototype in one hour. Watch the results of his manufacturing summer camp.
March 2023 - The 1 year Haines Solar Cooker training follow up was held with 19 of the 20 original trainees in Kakuma Refugee Camp. The group completed a second SCI Adoption and Impact Survey from Kakuma Refugee Camp. The officers elected Mlasi and Martha as the organizer and coordinator of the event. The group cooked together, reviewed solar cooking safety practices, solar cooking impacts and realities. Mary Buchenic, Jennifer Gasser and the newest partner, Grace Chepkemei Rono were virtual guest speakers at the event utilizing the STEM Through Solar Cooking Resource, and the newly created Field Training Manual in Swahili.
March 2023: Want to reach the next generation of solar cooks? - Get a Solar Education Kit (appropriate for all ages), featuring the Haines 2 reflective panel cooker, curriculum lessons, and learning extensions, along with experiments and supplies! Generac Power Systems did! By supplying schools with SEP's STEM THROUGH SOAR COOKING education resource Generac believes they have found one more way to support clean energy education in our schools. Thanks to Generac's Mean Green Grant initiative, the Solar Education kits with be included in (2) Ohio Middle Schools and one STEAM School in Wisconsin. Thank you Generac!
September 2022: A group of (20) trainees assembled at the St. Joseph's Small Christian Community in Eldoret, Kenya for training on Integrated Cooking Solutions. the effort was a collaboration between SEP, Haines Solar Cookers, the Rotary Club of San Diego and the Solar Household Energy. Solar Education Project founder, Mary Buchenic customized curriculum for the group in a field training facilitator's manual accompanied by a trainees workbook. The workshop leader was Grace Chepkemei Rono, assisted by local solar cooking advocate Camily Wedende from the Student Solar Cooking Science Projects in Eldoret, Kenya. The facilitators personally visited each of the trainees' homes to ensure the trainees had project follow up support and fellowship. The group continues with local demonstrations to gather interest in solar cooking and heat retention. baskets. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Zl3BNorNSXD-wRjdppxaX7gQsiMBJkF6/view?usp=sharing
Video credit: Eitan Frayi.

Haines_Solar_Cooking_Workshop_in_Eldoret,_Kenya_2022-2 — Haines Solar Cooking Workshop in Eldoret, Kenya 2022-2

Kakuma workshop 2, 5-30-22 — The **Solar Education Project** reports that Grace Chepkemei Rono shared her skill and knowledge about solar cooking and heat-retention basket cooking, Photo credit: **Solar Education Project**

May 2022: Solar and heat retention cooking workshop - The Solar Education Project reports that Grace Chepkemei Rono shared her skill and knowledge about solar cooking and heat-retention basket cooking at a workshop at the Kakuma Refugee Camp. These skills demonstrate how the Integrated Cooking Method will benefit the trainees and community.

November 2020: Instructions to make a Kid's Copenhagen Light panel cooker (Solar Education Project)
March 2020: Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh PA
Collaboration with SCI Science Expert Dr. Alan Bigelow on the PHYSICS of SOLAR COOKINGhttps://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19M5d6E64h7jcKr2FU3hA_eRSX1uY_Pr2/edit#slide=id.p1

Copenhagen Modified by Mary Buchenic of The Solar Education Project — The Copenhagen modified by the Solar Education Project. These directions are a modified version of the Copenhagen. It makes a very large and easily foldable panel oven that I call “The Beast”. The size was chosen because of standard poster board size. See also Copenhagen Solar Cooker Light.

Solar Team Chantal - January 2017 — Solar Team Chantal, Chantal, Haiti. January 2017. Photo: J. Gasser

April 2017: The "We Care to Share" medical dental mission, organized by Dr. Sarah John and Pastor Francois Yves, started in 2010, after the earthquake in Chantal, Haiti, as a response to the massive humanitarian need. The Les Sœurs Missionaires de l'Immaculée project included a planned kitchen expansion after Hurricane Matthew to include solar cooking to reduce dependence on wood and charcoal. Sharon Cousins demonstrated her DIY foiled basket cooker to the community members, while Mary Buchenic and Jennifer Gasser, of The Solar Education Project (aka the Solar Sisters), demonstrated the SolSource parabolic and the homemade box cooker. The educational workbook "the Amazing Sun", written in Haitian Creole, and illustrated by M. Buchenic. Boy Scout volunteers trained the group in making and using the Haines 1 Cookers. A key goal of the project included cooking traditional Haitian meals such as rice and beans, spaghetti with herring, and water pasteurization. Two parabolic concentrators, 40 Haines 1 cookers, a DIY box cooker and materials for the bowl/panel cooker were donated to the convent cooks, along with pop up tents, full outdoor kitchen and cooking supplies.