One fuel efficient cookstove for every woman

Summary

Open fires cooking in Kenya causes cause lung disease and contribute to deforestation. Trees for Kenya has developed a model for sustainable cooking technologies, using natural materials and incorporate eco-science to make cook stoves more fuel efficient, less toxic, and more environmentally friendly. Communities with land plant their own trees for woodlot to further sustainability.

Challenge Kenya being one of the developing countries has a public health crisis. Open fire indoor cooking cause’s respiratory illness from smoke inhalation and running eyes. These inefficient methods of cooking lead to nationwide deforestation as people scramble to find wood for cooking. Kenyan’s rapidly growing population will require between 50,000 and 60,000 new low-income homes each year to address the national housing shortage. Many of these new homes, as well as older existing homes especially in villages and slums, cook indoors over open fires.

Solution Trees for Kenya has designed a modest affordable fuel-efficient Cookstove, demonstrating that low-income homes can be both ecological and livable. By using eco-technologies such as fuel efficient stoves people improve the quality of their lives. Our fuel efficient cook stoves improve air quality and are available to families even before they can afford a new home and thus replacing open fire cooking practices. In addition, each household receives 15 tree saplings to begin growing their own woodlot, thus reducing pressure on deforestation.

Long-Term Impact

Trees for Kenya is looking forward to distributing 3,000 fuel-efficient cookstoves to the most vulnerable members if the community especially women’s. The beneficiary will in return plant 15 trees sapling totaling to 45,000 tree saplings to be planted. Each sapling will offset 20kg of carbon each year and that equivalent to 900 tonnes of carbon each year. The stoves will lower fuel wood consumption and improve indoor air quality for families currently cooking over un ventilated wood fires. Our staff works with families to build each stove. The cost of each stove is $15 which will go a long way to stopping deforestation by 85% and reducing indoor air pollutions and deaths for children’s especially those below 5 years.

Budget

To be able to support 3,000 households to acquire fuel-efficient cookstoves, we will require a budget of $50,000. Trees for Kenya will donate 15 trees saplings for every fuel-efficient cookstove donated and in total we will donate 45,000 tree saplings. By donating one fuel-efficient cookstove, you will be offsetting 300kg carbon in a year.