Smokeless stoves saving lives in 1,250 households

Thank you for your support of this project. This update comes from Beatrice Wambia, Senior Field Officer with Brighter Communities Worldwide Health Programme.

Smokeless stove programme aims to transform the lives of people in the communities we work with. The stove has several benefits to the communities and households, economically, environmentally and socially. Through the programme we are able to mitigate climate change impacts to the communities by reducing deforestation.

In the village of Kapkures, Sheila shares her life changing story since she got the smokeless stove in her house. “I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you Brighter Communities Worldwide for installing this smokeless stove in my kitchen, since I got this stove my kitchen walls remained clean after smearing, the iron sheets on my roof are also clean, I use just two pieces of firewood to cook, this has saved me more time to do household chores like fetching water, I no longer have chest pains like before, this stoves cooks faster and no more crying while cooking. Once again thank you brighter communities worldwide”.

In a nearby village of Kapkwen in Kipkelion West sub-county, Anna Chepkwony who is a smokeless stove installer shared her perspective on the impact of the smokeless stove. “Being trained as a smokeless stove installer is the best thing that Brighter communities Worldwide did for me. Iam able to buy food for my family and buy household needs with the money I get from installing smokeless stoves in my community. I have also developed leadership skills by teaching fellow community members about the importance of the stove. I have also been able to play a key role in improving the well -being of my community members and this has made me receive recognition in the community I come from”. Asante Sana Brighter Communities Worldwide.

Gladys is a happy woman after the smokeless stove was installed in her kitchen “I can cook without eye irritations, my kitchen is clean always, my children are safer using this stove since they cannot be burnt, I now use less firewood compared to the previous stove. The smokeless stove has helped me save time since I only go to the forest once a week. Thank you Brighter Communities Worlwide for this wonderful stove. Asante sana”

Mark your calendars!   All donations up to €50 will be matched at 50% between March 25th and 28th during the GlobalGiving Little by Little campaign while funds remain.

Thank you for your support of this project. This update comes from Beatrice Wambia, Senior Field Officer with our Health Programme.

"The Smokeless Stoves programme has great impact in households across Kericho County. Through the programme women are able to cook with much ease and without coughing or even crying out of the smoke from the traditional cooking stove i.e. the 3 stone stove. The traditional 3 stone fires used in many households in rural areas of developing countries are inefficient in transforming the wood into heat to cook food and therefore it’s a major source of household air pollution.

In rural areas women and girls spend many hours of the week gathering firewood in the forest. This means girls and women have to walk for longer distances to collect firewood. This poses a risk to young girls to drop out of school and some of them might be at risk of being raped while in the forest.

The smokeless stove has several advantages both to the community and even to the girls and mothers from the rural parts of the communities. The smokeless stove uses less firewood compared to the traditional cooking methods. With the smokeless stove there is no smoke while cooking. The cooking environment is clean and the stove saves the cooking time. With all these girls will have time to attend school, there is reduced deforestation, there is improved health condition of the women and girls who uses the stove and reduced global climate change.

This message is from Wycliffe Kipkoech ‘I wish to take this opportunity to thank Brighter Communities Worldwide for installing this smokeless stove in my household. The presence of this stove has increased the participation of people willing to cook using the stove. Everybody is happy using this stove because there is no smoke at all. It cooks faster compared to the previous stove and the kitchen is cleaner now unlike the previous stove where firewood was all over the kitchen, My mother no longer suffers from irritating eyes while cooking. Thank you Brighter Communities worldwide. Asante Sana'

This message is from Grace Chepkurui from Kongasis village, ‘Thank you brighter communities Worldwide for installing a smokeless stove in my kitchen. This stove cooks faster, there is no smoke in my kitchen and it’s now clean, this stove is safe for my grandchildren to use, I am not worried that they might get burnt while cooking with this stove.'

And Robert Kirui says - ‘Am very happy to have this smokeless stove in my kitchen, seeing the smoke out through the chimney means my kitchen will remain clean after painting and my wife and children will no longer cry while cooking. Asante sana Brighter Communities Worldwide for helping me have this wonderful smokeless stove'.                               

Promoting rhe smokeless stove programme in communities will lead to healthier and more resilient communities. The programme plays an important role in dealing with climate change effects. Let’s put resources  together as stakeholders to ensure healthier, cleaner more resilient communities in Kericho County.  Thank you for your support."