Clean cooking powered by women

Clean cooking has the potential to transform the lives of women; in the home, the distribution of domestic duties continues to be weighted towards women and girls, world-wide. Cooking duties falling mainly to women means that a disproportionate number of women and girls are affected by unsafe stove emissions; indeed, air pollution is one of the leading causes of mortality among women globally. Not only can cooking be a cleaner, safer activity that takes up less of their daily lives; but when food preparation is not harmful to health, it can also become an attractive career for female entrepreneurs.

In Kenya, Practical Action has contributed to transforming the cooking sector so that women can take part in the development, supply chain and sales of cookstoves and fuels. Thanks to this work, over 400 entrepreneurs (mostly women) gained support to grow their businesses through training, mentorship and improved access to markets and finance. The entrepreneurs have enjoyed great results: most have told us their sales are increasing, along with their confidence, and the power they hold within their households to make decisions or   manage money.

We’ve also contributed to change on a wider scale through our partnerships, our research and our advocacy work. The Kenyan Government has now adopted a National Gender Policy for Energy, a framework which we’re assisting them to implement across the country.