Lucky improved cookstoves customers win lottery prizes!

The latest lucky prize winners of the improved cookstoves lottery have been awarded their prizes. For the past year, SNV’s Improved Cookstoves (ICS) programme has been holding regular raffles for ICS customers. When customers across the country purchase an ICS at their local retailers, they are given a chance to leave their name and information on a raffle card. The goal of the ICS lottery is twofold, both providing the programme with valuable consumer data to improve production and marketing, and also rewarding customers for their investment in the new product.

During an ICS multi-stakeholder meeting in Pakse, organised by the non-profit organisation ARMI, the lucky draw took place among ICS customers who had left their name on raffle coupons after purchase. The latest winners were surprised when they received a phone call to learn that they were the lucky customers for this drawing, and were awarded their prizes in October.

The lucky grand prize winner was Ms Chit of Nalek Village, Salavan District, Salavan Province, who was pleased to win a bicycle. The second and third prize winners were Ms Maa and Ms Viengson of Vientiane Capital, winning a water boiler and rice cooker at a prize giving ceremony on Friday, October 17. The prizes in Vientiane were proudly presented by Ignacio Oliver Cruz, attaché for Development Cooperation the European Union Delegation to Lao PDR, accompanied by representatives of the Lao Women’s Union. After the prize giving in Vientiane, the honored guests from the EU and the Lao Women’s Union toured local ICS retailers and manufacturers, to learn more about the programme.

The ICS programme in Laos has successfully set new standards for cook stove design, introduced innovative production methods, and imposed quality control measures.  Three test laboratories have been set up under the Ministry of Science and Technology to check stove quality, and conduct research and development.  Newly designed cook stoves save 25% in fuel compared to traditional stoves, providing economic benefits to consumers.  Demand is very high, making the stoves profitable for producers. Between 2013 and mid-2014, already 14,500 stoves were distributed.