Families in rural Kenya traditionally use three-stone open-fire stoves for cooking. As well as creating indoor smoke that leads to respiratory problems, this cooking method relies on gathering wood from nearby forests, which is both time-consuming and degrades the forest over time. Yet, many Kenyan families cannot afford to purchase fuel-efficient stoves – and as fuelwood is largely collected for free, there is no incentive to either.
This project is channelling carbon finance to distribute affordable, durable and energy-efficient cookstoves to families across Kenya. The cookstoves reducing the amount of fuel that is needed by almost 40%. As well as producing nearly 100,000 stoves per year at a site near Nairobi, the project develops local market channels and supports affiliate companies to create sustainable distribution networks of cookstoves that are adapted to local needs. With over 60% of people involved in sales, manufacturing and distribution are women, the project is creating opportunities in a typically male-dominated environment. Each stove has a serial number which is scanned and assigned to a customer so sales can be recorded in a transparent and continuous way.
on average between 2017-2020 on charcoal costs
thanks to clean water and less indoor smoke pollution
with more free time and healthier kitchens
now have access to affordable energy for cooking on locally made devices
and 62 stove repair experts enjoying stable job opportunities
reduced on average per year since 2017
on average daily, easing pressure on forests
By replacing traditional cookstoves with modern devices, harmful indoor air pollution is slashed, cooking becomes safer as there is no exposed flame, families spend less time cooking–around 50%– and gathering firewood, and fuel costs are cut. On top of cutting emissions and reducing pressure on forests, the cookstoves significantly ease the lives of women and children who are primarily responsible for cooking and collecting fuel. In fact, the type of locally-made stove distributed by the project is ranked in a study by UC Berkeley and the University of Chicago as the best household investment in Kenya! Healthy kitchens, happy lives!
