They're going to show a film!  The news spreads through the village like wildfire.  The women are excited and hurry to finish their chores to be ready in time for the meeting of the health-education class.

The teacher brought several guests. The film projector is already set up and waiting as Thuli and Kanchi arrive in the village square. The sister-in-laws get on well together. They live in the long farmhouse at the end of the village. Both bring their children along.

The guests are presented as representatives of an organization. One of them is a stove maker, the teacher explains.

Nothing can be seen of the film in the glaring sunshine and the whole group moves into an empty goat sty. The film is a surprise. It shows everyday scenes of women and families cooking in a farmhouse with animals and stores of corn in the corners.  “What's this all about? What's the difference to our home?“ Thuli and Kanchi ask each other.

The women speak about the film all afternoon. A modern stove keeps the kitchen clean. That would be good. They would spend less time collecting wood and cooking – amazing! The fire, or more precisely the smoke from fire makes people sick. They had often thought that. Last but not least it is safer for the children as they couldn't easily come into contact with the fire.

Thuli and Kanchi considered everything and decide to convince their husbands as soon as they return from the fields. The women are sure that they have strong arguments.

Som Bahadur and Dhan Bahadur come home after a hard day's work in the corn field.  They drink a milky tea. Everyone is seated in the sun in front of the house.

Kanchi opens the discussion with the words: “We're going to get a modern stove“. “That's important for our children, and I will have more time for other work“. “The organization which visited the women's meeting will provide the stoves and help to promote good health“, says Thuli.

“Hm“ and “tick cha“ are the answers which means “Okay!“

Twenty seven houses will be fitted with the first batch of smoke free clay stoves. The house owners have all collected the material which will be required. It's available everywhere and just has to be collected. All that's needed is clay, cow pats, rice shells and water; then the work can start.

The stove maker stays in Thuli and Kanchi's house. They are proud to offer sleeping quarters and serve breakfast.

The stove maker and his assistant have been working since yesterday to prepare the clay bricks which have to dry in the sun.

Only seven days of sunshine are enough to leave the clay bricks as hard as stone.

The stove maker and his assistant returned to the village this morning and, after the mandatory cup of milky tea, work begins. Of course the first stove is erected in Thuli's house.

The stove maker decides where to build the stove together with the women and immediately gets to work. The foundation is quickly laid. With the certainty which comes from a lot of experience the stove maker fixes the iron rods which give the stove rigidity.

Neighbors and children sit in a circle around the building site and watch and comment each step of the construction.

“Which are your favorite cooking pots?“ the stove makers asks the housewife.  She gives him the big pot which she always uses to cook rice and a smaller pot for making tea.

The pots are pressed hard into the still soft clay giving the cooking places the perfect form for the pots. The chimney is already as high as a man is tall. Dhan Bahadur had made the opening in the house wall himself. Now the clay pipes are fitted; so the smoke from the stove will be released outside the house.

Three hours have passed as the stove maker performs the final touches. The stove has a nice smooth surface and two perfectly round cooking places. The opening for the firewood, the long chimney, everything is ready. The stove maker gave a brief training how the chimney can be cleaned.

It is a shame that a few days wait is required before the stove is dry enough to be used for cooking.

The stove maker finished his work in the village today. Thuli and Kanchi's stove is fired up for the first time. All the women of the village come to celebrate the event with tea and biscuits.

Thuli prepare twigs and straw to start the fire. The first smoke rises from the fire but escapes through the chimney leaving the kitchen smoke free. The entire kitched is whitewashed. Everybody is in festive spirit and soon the tea water is boiling merrily on the stove.

The women in the village spread the story to their neighbors in surrounding villages. One can only hope that the stove maker will soon be invited there too to install more stoves.