In 2015, Othmane Benhlima, an electrical engineering student, was working in a rural region where women were still using wood for cooking, that in return exposes them to toxic fumes. Concerned, he decided to work on their issues and eventually came up with Eco-Heat.

How it all came into play:

With a strong belief that thermal fabrics can replace fuel, Eco-Heat emerged as a revolutionary Moroccan young enterprise specializing in producing an isothermal bag. It is a simple yet an electricity-free, slow-cooking bag, completely made of cloth. This natural bag is not only kinder to the environment, but also washable and reusable. “Using Eco-Heat is saving energy while making a move to protect our planet,” the website read.

Eco-Heat is basically an insulated slow-cooking bag that reduces carbon emissions and minimizes the impacts on the environment. In developing countries, especially in rural areas, 2.5 billion people rely on biomass, such as fuelwood to meet their energy needs for cooking. Trees are cut down for their wood, which contributes to deforestation and ecosystem destruction. Wood and charcoal fires give off carbon emissions, contributing to climate change, but also cause health problems due to smoke inhalation.

Eco-heat is designed to save time, effort and energy.  It works by using little fuel to bring food to a boil before putting the hot pot in the bag.  The bag then continues to cook food which has been brought to a boil by conventional methods, in a regular pot, for up to 12 hours without the use of additional electricity or fuel.

Using the ancestral principle of heat retention, Eco-heat reduces the use of additional energy by allowing the continuation of the cooking process without building up extra energy. “We wanted to help the rural population by giving them an alternative product to wood for cooking,” Benhlima said.

Eco-Heat gets international recognition:

Managed by three students of Enactus EHTP, a community of engineering students from the Hassania School of Public Works who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a more sustainable development, Eco-Heat will be representing Morocco at the next Enactus World Cup. The trio believe that comfort, quality, and efficiency are the right ingredients to enhance the quality of life for everyone.

The initiative has successfully changed the lives of 10 people who are now working on designing reusable eco-friendly bags and are earning a monthly income to help them turn their dream of protecting our planet into reality.

Website: http://www.eheat.org/

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/codecoheat/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/15186867/