King Benjamin Project

Solar Cookers February 2003
At a ward welfare committee meeting of the Chimbas ward, I was given about 30 minutes to demonstrate putting together a solar cooker, and to discuss their uses and benefits. The Relief Society sisters were obviously very interested in this concept. I left two complete kits for solar cookers with Claudio Manrique, Elders Quorum President. He will begin a series of tests of the cookers and report the findings to the committee members.

Diego and Stefi Colombo putting together a solar cooker.

A solar cooker at work.

At the home of Brother and Sister Colombo of the Retiro Ward, we put together two solar cookers, and conducted some preliminary trials. Sister Colombo has served in ward and stake Relief Society Presidencies and has been very involved in the transfer of information from INTA (National Institute of Agricultural Technologies) to members of the LDS Church in San Juan. She plans on further testing; and Brother Colombo will evaluate local sources of materials that can be used to make these ovens.

Jose Colombo measuring the temperature at the base of a solar cooker (it reached 100 degrees C)

Dr. Steven Jones of Brigham Young University donated the solar cookers and provided some technical background.