OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) has provided 20 households in the Yagnob Valley with devices that harness natural energy from the sun. This work was carried out as part of the project “Expanding Economic Opportunities for Women in Central Asia in the Energy Sector.” In the highlands of Yagnob, there are 449 residents, and the assistance was implemented in the villages of Garmen, Khishortab, and Kul. Overall, these women spend between 7 to 8 hours each day just on cooking hot meals, the project authors report.
Their research showed that almost the entire cooking process in these households is performed by women. The project authors found that most often these are women aged 30-40, with only a secondary education, who are responsible for preparing food for more than 6 family members daily. Half of them have children under 18 years old, and one in six lives without a husband who is working abroad.
These women use firewood for cooking in 70% of cases, and to a lesser extent, coal, natural gas, and liquefied gas. As a result, a significant portion of their day is spent gathering firewood, the project authors say: these women spend up to 4-5 hours each day collecting firewood and other natural fuels, and another three hours preparing hot meals.