Litro Gas, COOPFED helps low income families

For a healthier lifestyle:

Litro Gas Lanka Limited has teamed up with the Sri Lanka Consumer Co-operative Societies’ Federation Ltd (COOPFED) to launch a special loan scheme for the benefit of low income families to enjoy the convenience of cooking with LP gas. The COOPFED is one of Sri Lanka’s largest consumer goods retail chains which have branches spanning across the country from main towns to the remotest village, thus reaching across section of society.

This year, Litro Gas has injected over 180,000 new domestic cylinders into the market. Despite having a total of more than three million Litro Gas cylinders circulating in the country, it is estimated that only 25-30% of households in Sri Lanka use LP gas as a cooking fuel.

Most low income families in the suburbs and rural areas use firewood since it is freely available. However, as most kitchens are not designed for the proper release of smoke, it has become a health hazard for residents, affecting mostly women and children.

A research conducted by the UNDP reveals that smoke released by burning firewood in a closed environment can lead and aggravate asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis and other lung diseases. LP gas has been proven to be a cleaner, healthier, convenient and reliable mode of energy for cooking.

However, the main entry barrier to change from a smoke ridden environment caused by a firewood stove to a clean and healthy lifestyle using LP gas stoves is the initial cost involved in purchasing a LP gas cooker, cylinder and accessories.

Therefore, the main objective of this joint project between Litro Gas and COOPFED is to break through this entry barrier by offering a special loan scheme to any non-user to purchase a ‘LP gas cooker package bundled with a Litro Gas cylinder’ from selected COOPFED outlets islandwide.

This ‘cooker package’ consists of a domestic Litro Gas cylinder, a table-top gas cooker, regulator, hose and clips.