Regula Ochsner, the initiator of the solar cooker project in Madagascar, worked for a women's program in Tuléar in the South of Madagascar between 1972 and 1975 for the Swiss development aid agency (now called DEZA). In 1998 Regula Ochsner revisited Madagascar and was shocked when she noticed that entire forests had been cut down leading to the loss of diverse and unique animals and plants.
She realized that within a short time the country would loose its livelihood if the deforestation would continue at this rate. As the main part of the chopped wood was being used as firewood to prepare the food she began looking for alternative solutions.
After several sleepless nights she came to the conclusion: something had to be done.
The solar project came to being
Upon her return to Switzerland Regula Ochnser started to look for alternative solutions how food could be cooked without using firewood or charcoal. In her search she met Eduard Probst, a retired carpenter in Hölstein.
Eduard Probst, inspired by his study of the Bedouins in the desert, had developed a sun cooker 20 years ago. Meanwhile this cooker is being used in many countries around the globe. Mr Probst, who is founder of the development association for solar cookers, was sold on the idea straight away. In the autumn of 2000, a container with parts for 500 solar cookers was sent to Tuléar and with this the solar cooker project was born. In 2001 the first solar cookers were being constructed by Malagasy carpenters working under a tent.
A great help for the success of the solar project was Daniel Ramampiherika, a Malagasy professor for renewable energy at the university of Tuléar. He is also the president of a local environmental organisation and had developed a solar cooker prototype but was lacking the financial means to make it public. He agreed to cooperate in the project.
The solar cooker was first demonstrated in the villages where Regula Ochsner used to work. The population was impressed by the functionality and advantages of the solar cookers. People reacted positively and almost every family in the Miary und Antakoaky village were eager to acquire a solar cooker. Thanks to reports on the radio and TV, the solar cooker became well known.
