Solar Kitchen - Muktinath - Nepal

Solar cooking was promoted in Nepal by Ligtenberg. You will probably still find it in remote places.

Born in Indonesia in 1941, Ligtenberg was sent to India in 1979 by the company he was working for. An avid hiker, Ligtenberg decided to spend some time hiking in the mountains of Nepal. He was fascinated by the country's beauty but troubled by a less romantic side: the widespread poverty.

At home, Ligtenberg saw a newspaper advertisement for a solar kitchen project . He sent the company a check for $10 and built the furnace.

Ligtenberg realized that if the people of Nepal could harness the power of the sun to cook and purify water , they might be able to alleviate some of their health, environmental, and energy problems.
Women should not have to walk far from home and save precious time to find wood for fuel. Deforestation would decrease . Fruits and vegetables could be dried, which prevents spoilage . Water can be pasteurized to kill bacteria.

Therefore, after his retirement in 1992, Ligtenberg dedicated himself to the cause. As a member of the Rotary Club of Los Altos and President of District 5170's Solar Resource Group, the Water, Health, Hunger and Solar Energy Group, he spends three months each year abroad teaching anyone interested about solar cooking

Willem Vandenameele