Women groups from conservation areas in Isiolo County have started receiving energy-saving jikos (stoves) aimed at reducing the use of firewood and charcoal while improving household health and environmental conservation.
The improved stoves use minimal fuel and produce less smoke, helping reduce indoor air pollution that mainly affects women and young children who spend long hours near cooking areas during meal preparation.
Experts from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition report that between 2.1 and 2.5 billion people worldwide still rely on open fires or inefficient cooking stoves fueled by wood, biomass, and coal. The practice contributes significantly to household air pollution, which leads to about 3.2 million premature deaths every year, with women and children bearing the greatest burden.
The energy-saving jikos are being distributed through the Mashinani Works Programme in partnership with Northern Rangelands Trust, with funding support from the Embassy of Denmark in Kenya.
The initiative targets more than 500 women from community conservancies in Isiolo County, many of whom depend on firewood and charcoal for daily cooking. By using the improved stoves, beneficiaries are expected to reduce fuel consumption, lower cooking costs, and spend less time preparing meals.
Project partners say the initiative will also contribute to environmental conservation by reducing the cutting of trees in Isiolo’s fragile rangelands, where vegetation has been declining due to climate change and increasing human activities.
Saadia Mohamed, one of the beneficiaries, welcomed the project, saying it will help improve both health and environmental protection in the county.
Shenoted that the use of energy-saving stoves will significantly reduce exposure to smoke that often causes respiratory illnesses among women and children in many households.
“Many families here rely on charcoal and firewood for cooking, which produces a lot of smoke inside our homes. These new jikos will help reduce smoke-related diseases and also protect our environment,” she said.
Mr. Ture Boru, the Programme Officer for the Moto Safi Mashinani Programme, said the project is designed to empower women in both rural and urban areas who still depend heavily on traditional cooking methods.
He explained that the improved stoves not only reduce fuel consumption but also shorten cooking time, allowing women to engage in other income-generating activities and household responsibilities.
Speaking during the launch of the programme, the Isiolo County Executive Committee Member in charge of Environment, Water, Energy and Natural resources Guracha Kikuyu Sarite described the initiative as timely, noting that it aligns with the county’s efforts to promote clean energy solutions and environmental conservation.
The county official expressed optimism that the project will improve livelihoods while supporting broader efforts to combat climate change and protect natural resources in the region.
