safer candle project
The safer candle project was researched and developed in 2005/2006 by Dorothy Schulman (a childsafe volunteer and retired registered nurse) following thousands of shack fires in informal settlements in Cape Town. Its aim is to reduce fires causing severe burns and often death in children and adults; and to reduce the destruction of homes and property especially in impoverished communities.
This is an ongoing project and since 2006, over six thousand safer candles have been distributed to local communities in South Africa.
Demonstrations of Safer Candle use are given at Red Cross Children’s Hospital in outpatient waiting rooms to mothers and carers on a weekly basis. Safer candle demonstrations are also given in local communities and to Red Cross staff.
A safer candle is a simple, cost effective innovation, and can be created using a large recycled glass jar, dry sand, and half candles.