News / UWE Bristol
Uni graduate’s flatpack stove helps families stay warm in conflict zones
A graduate has made it his mission to address one of the toughest challenges in conflict zones: providing warmth to families whose homes have been destroyed.
Meet Sam Driver, 24, a Product Design graduate from UWE Bristol, who developed the innovative design for an easy-to-use prototype of a flatpack stove while still a student.
As conflicts rage around the world, Sam’s innovative design is set to bring much-needed relief to people trapped in conflict zones, offering warmth and comfort during the most challenging times.
Sam developed a flatpack wood-burning stove through his Heat for Humanity initiative, designed to provide heat to those in desperate need while simplifying logistics in war-torn areas.
Olga and Vasil Hurtak, received a stove after their home’s roof and windows were destroyed by bombing
The flatpack design has been hailed as a “game-changer”. Unlike bulky pre-assembled stoves, Heat for Humanity’s model can be easily transported in large quantities, reducing the number of trips needed to reach active conflict zones.
Once on the ground, the stoves are quick to assemble and require minimal tools, making them ideal for installation in the field.
These stoves provide more than just a heat source. They are designed to burn for longer periods at a steady temperature, reducing wood consumption—crucial in regions where resources are scarce and difficult to access. For those living in war-torn areas, this means fewer trips to gather wood, lowering exposure to risk and hardship.
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Sam’s recent trip to Ukraine underscores the urgent need for such solutions. Alongside fellow UWE student Finn Wain, he installed two stoves in villages devastated by the ongoing war.
Since February 2022, the conflict in Ukraine has left approximately two million homes damaged, with four in ten people in need of humanitarian assistance, including power and heating.
Sam said: “We wanted to make sure the stoves could be installed as easily as we hoped by someone other than ourselves, so we were put in touch with a Ukrainian who was able to help.
“It was a surreal trip seeing first hand the destruction of homes. The temperature is really dropping over there already, so it brought home just how necessary these stoves are and made us more motivated returning to Bristol to make this venture a success.”
“Temperatures get down to -20 degrees over the winter, so without access to a heat source people would have to move out of their homes altogether, causing more distress to their lives,” said Sam.
In Moshchun and Mokhnachka, homes have been heavily damaged, leaving many families vulnerable to the harsh winter.
Since February 2022, the conflict in Ukraine has left approximately two million homes damaged, with four in ten people in need of humanitarian assistance, including power and heating
One couple, Olga and Vasil Hurtak, received a stove after their home’s roof and windows were destroyed by bombing. The stove provided them with essential warmth during the freezing winter months.
Sam was awarded £20,000 in funding through UWE Bristol’s Entrepreneurial Futures Award, which supports entrepreneurial ideas and talent within the university. The funding was provided by UWE alumnus Peter Fane, executive chairman of the Nurture Landscape Group.
On Sam’s initiative, Mark Corderoy, incubation manager at UWE Bristol’s Launch Space said: “Sam’s Heat for Humanity initiative represents exactly the innovative, purpose-driven entrepreneurship we champion at UWE Bristol.
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The project’s success has inspired Sam and the team to aim for more. With a fundraising target of £10,000, they plan to install 20 more stoves in Ukraine in the new year.
The initiative has set its ambitions to set up a manufacturing base in Ukraine, providing jobs to local people.
To find out more about Heat for Humanity, visit www.heatforhumanity.org
All photos: Heat for Humanity/UWE Bristol
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