Radha’s Message for December 2013
Dear friends,
As 2013 comes to a close, I have been reflecting on what an incredible year it has been for the Alliance, its partners, and the sector: almost 9 million cookstoves were disseminated in 2012 – double the 2011 results;; catalytic grants and investments for entrepreneurs are growing; diverse research is underway around the world; the largest clean cooking Forum to-date brought together 500 people from 60 nations and our partner base now stands at 900 organizations (and growing!); 6 Alliance market managers are now in place across Asia and Africa, expanding the Alliance Secretariat to 18 dedicated, full-time staff; three new Alliance Leadership Council members from Ghana, UK and the US and a new Alliance leadership role for our founder, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; among many more.
None of these achievements would be possible without the expertise, advocacy, and support of our donors, partners, and advisers. Thank you for contributing to the fabric that weaves the Alliance together.
Of course, we haven’t just been waxing nostalgic this past month! The work goes on. Technical staff from Regional Testing and Knowledge Centers in 15 countries gathered together in Honduras two weeks ago (photos) for an intensive training workshop at Zamorano University, part of the Alliance’s ongoing work to drive global collaboration and support our partners and all sector organizations with high quality testing and knowledge sharing services. You can read more about the trip and other standards and testing updates here.
Inside December’s newsletter, you’ll read more about the busy end to 2013 that has just wrapped up: Guatemala adopted a new national strategy to address access to clean cooking solutions; the Chinese national and provincial market assessment is underway; a record number of applications were submitted for the Alliance’s grant funds; and our partner Esutufa Doña Dora’s is working to accommodate its customers and grow the market in Guatemala. As always, you’ll see the newest Alliance partners, media highlights, and upcoming events, including the next convening of our East African partners and sector stakeholders in Nairobi from February 3-14.
A very happy holiday season and New Year to you and your loved ones. I look forward to working with you in 2014.
With warm regards,
Radha
PHOTO: The Alliance Secretariat team came together in D.C. for 2014 strategic planning sessions.