Will Haitians Ever STOP using Charcoal as a Cooking Fuel?

When I returned in Haiti almost three years ago, the very first decision I made was to BAN the use of charcoal (Charbon de Bois) from my house... No more chabon, not even for ironing clothes... So far, it's been successful in my house BUT... Can Haitians Ever DETACH themselves from charcoal as cooking fuel?


Charcoal Burning in Haiti - Charcoal as Cooking Fuel

I have been preaching my family members here in Hinche Haiti where I live to use a propane tank instead and a small oven to cook instead of charcoal, I even tell them that it is more economical and I really think it is.

Also read: Charbon VS. Propane - Poukisa Haitien Itilize Chabon Pou Fe Manje Toujou?

So far, one of my cousins has thanked me for it. "My new home would've been pitch black with smoke if it wasn't for you," she says, "because I would've brought my 'sac chabon' (bag of charcoal) with me here."

Although she now cooks with propane and a stove instead of charcoal, my cousin still used charcoal to iron her clothes. Electricity is not only expensive in Haiti, it is a scarce commodity, so iron her clothes with an electric iron means a much higher electric bill. Not only that, even if she wanted to, sometimes, "pa gen kouran" (there is no electricity)

Also read: Charbon - Charcoal In Haiti - Production Pired

I have another cousin who tried to catch on to my idea of NO Chabon for cooking; however, she tell me: "Pitit, mwen pa kapab bouyi pwa avek gaz pitit, li pran trop tan! li boule twop gaz! Mwen oblije gan ti resho-m la pou-m bouyi pwa... LOL..."

Translation: my cousin tells me although she likes the idea of cooking with propane gas on a stove, she just can't bear the thought of boiling dried beans with gas. It takes too long she says and she uses charcoal for that.

So I woke her up to a new idea... Use a pressure cooker, boil the died beans for 15 minutes the night before and leave it on the stove. It will fully cooked in the morning...

I am waiting for the results of that experiment as I ask myself this question:

Will Haitians Ever DETACH themselves from Charcoal as Cooking Fuel?

What do you think?

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Patrick Princivil says...

Mwen renmen bay opinion mwen nan kozé sa yo,

Gen yon provèb ki di ké tout chien niché tèt bwa yo jan yo konnen, sé nómal pou sa konsa gouvènman ki té la avan President Martelly yo pat kanpé sou anyen, pou kisa li pa konsa au Canada-Us, map viv au Canada nan yon building nou lwé twa chanm a kouché avek salon, menm sil pa pou nou mwen ka di nou gen tout afè nou la dan. nou gen gro fou éléktrik a 4 plas pou nou fè manjé, fè gato, fri poul etc. men gen moun ki gen fou a gaz ou fou ki maché ak chabon pou yo fè barbacu deyò lakay yo.

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Patrick Princivil says...

Mwen renmen bay opinion mwen nan kozé sa yo,

Gen yon provèb ki di ké tout chien niché tèt bwa yo jan yo konnen, sé nómal pou sa konsa gouvènman ki té la avan President Martelly yo pat kanpé sou anyen, pou kisa li pa konsa au Canada-Us, map viv au Canada nan yon building nou lwé twa chanm a kouché avek salon, menm sil pa pou nou mwen ka di nou gen tout afè nou la dan. nou gen gro fou éléktrik a 4 plas pou nou fè manjé, fè gato, fri poul etc. men gen moun ki gen fou a gaz ou fou ki maché ak chabon pou yo fè barbacu deyò lakay yo.

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Gabriel says...

L'ap tre difisil pou nou soti nan system sa.

1._ li pa safe pou propane, paske nou itilizel andan kay.

2._ yon fanmi kote 10 moun ap viv nan 2 pyes kay pap janm gen jan de kob sa pou achte yon fou.

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