Skirting the issue

In Darfur, a region of Sudan, violence, especially against women continues. A recent article hailed the efforts of a US teen in working to send energy efficient stoves to the region so that the women would not have to spend long hours searching for wood and thus be less likely to be preyed upon.

While I applaud his efforts and agree that increasing the efficiency of practical items will help people in poverty-stricken nations, I can't help but pause at the focus of this article. Perhaps, rather than suggest that the way to help Darfur's women is to find ways to keep them indoors and "out of harms way" we (citizens willing to donate $40 for a stove, NOT the US government) could also promote education by building schools and supporting teachers, or investigate other culture-specific means to reduce violence.