First Major Shipment of HotPots to Mali, West Africa

More than one thousand (1,048, to be specific) HotPot solar ovens arrived this summer in Bamako, Mali, West Africa . The 40-foot HotPot-laden shipping container represents SHE Inc.’s first major delivery of HotPots to Africa. The shipment originated in Monterrey, Mexico, where the components are assembled, packaged and warehoused by ILS, a local logistics company.

ILS President prepares first major HotPot shipment to Bamako, Mali

The container’s contents were purchased by SHE’s principal West Africa distributor, SYST-COM & Energie, Sarl, a Malian energy services company. SYST-COM is operated by a husband and wife team, Mr. Cheickna Sissoko, a telecommunications engineer, and Mrs. Aissata Sissoko one of Mali’s first female physicists and a telecommunications engineer.

For the past three years SYST-COM has promoted solar cooking and educated Malians about the HotPot. SYST-COM is beginning to sell HotPots throughout Mali, as well as serving as a shipping hub to supply the HotPot needs for pilot projects in other West African countries. An NGO affiliated with SYST-COM will also conduct a user study on behalf of SHE.

In a country where the desert is advancing 2.4 miles a year, many Malians have expressed an interest in purchasing HotPots to reduce dependence on wood.

Fall 2006