Discontinued Technologies

The Malena cooker is a technology developed by the EnDev Bolivia team and has been implemented throughout the country since 2007. These cookers work with firewood or animal waste, are built with local material (improved clay) and have an elaborate and certified design that reduces the amount of fuel used for cooking food. 

The cookers have a chimney that helps to eliminate smoke and toxic gases inside the houses, minimising health risks, especially for women and children who spend most of their time cooking. The impact of this technology is considerable, due to the reduction in the time families spend collecting firewood or the economic costs involved in buying it. 

The improvement in the health of the families is transcendental, as well as the reduction in deforestation. This technology has now been transferred to local partners for construction and implementation.

In 2003, low-cost biodigesters were implemented in regions with cold climates, such as the Bolivian highlands and became a milestone in the development of this technology worldwide. After going through a series of smaller projects, in 2007 EnDev Bolivia started a biodigester project at the national level that led to standardizing the technology, training professionals and field technicians, as well as creating the “CRB3 Laboratory” (Centre for Research on Biodigesters, Biogas and Biol) located in Viacha, La Paz, with the participation of the public Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA). It also developed successful social strategies in the implementation of biodigesters in alliance with other institutions.

Currently EnDev Bolivia no longer works in this component and transmitted its knowledge and technology to local partners and universities for further implementation.