On June 5th, LAUGFS Gas staged a bold public awareness campaign titled ‘Dara Kandulu’, drawing attention to the silent yet deadly effects of indoor air pollution caused by firewood cooking. The social experiment, carried out from Pettah to Nugegoda, featured a woman dressed in burnt clothing with visible “burn marks,” symbolizing the human cost of unsafe cooking practices. She engaged with the public, sharing real-world dangers of firewood use—especially its impact on women and children, who are most exposed to indoor emissions.
The campaign highlighted shocking facts: cooking with firewood for an hour equals inhaling 400 cigarettes, and over 237,000 children die annually due to related respiratory illnesses. While reactions varied from curiosity to concern, some bystanders engaged with her and asked questions—sparking the very awareness the campaign intended.
A QR code on her outfit allowed people to scan and earn points, which LAUGFS hopes to align with its long-term Project LIFE CSR initiative. Although initial engagement was lower than expected, younger audiences responded more positively to the digital aspect.
With over 45% of Sri Lankans still relying on firewood, this campaign served as a raw, visual call to action. LAUGFS Gas continues to advocate for LPG as a cleaner, safer alternative and plans to expand the LIFE project with hopes of future crowd-sourced support.
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