The empty clay vessel for making butter weighs ( according to it's size ) around 16 to 21 kg.
Once filled it has between 30 and 40 kg, which have to be moved back and forth for hours.
In summer butter making has to start at night hours because of the high day time temperatures.

Especially in winter milk products are an important part of the staple diet of the families. Vegetables are not available.

To use a butter making device means not only that the hard work of women is lightened - it also means a higher yield is achieved. Some part of this could be sold and provide a small income. Women gain time for other activities.

Dipl.-Ing. M.S. Achtari, president of ABS e.V.
(Afghan-Bedmoschk-Solar-Center e.V.) developed a simple device for making butter and introduced it in the village of Bedmoschk /Province Wardak .
This “mixers“ is run from a battery (car battery) that is charged at the solar station of the house / farm.
The design of the station permits running the “mixer“ for making butter and additionally two energy saving light bulbs for the house.

The components of the mixer are locally available aluminium pots (lid and pot). Therefore people are familiar with them.

Now making butter is an activity of just a view minutes.
The women are taught how to use the butter making device.
Additionally employment is created in the village because local people are trained for repair and maintenance.

But not only the village women are happy about this improvement. The nomads that live in the province of Wardak in summer keep sheep and goat. Their only income is selling the milk products. They can't transport heavy clay vessels during their migration. Therefore they use leather bags made from the skin of young goats to make butter. Yoghurt is filled into the bag, then the women have to blow air into the bag, close it and then roll the bag for several hours. It is difficult to clean the leather bags after the daily use.

M.S.Achtari has contact with the nomads and demonstrated the butter making device run by a solar module to them. All the parts, inclusive the light weight aluminium pots can be transported easily.
For them too the extra yield of butter they can get from their milk and the advantage in hygiene is an important factor.

The complete cost for one installation is € 142,--,
this includes:
- solar station € 110,-
- mixer € 18,-
- 2 energy saving light bulbs € 14,-