Energy Saving Jikos Construction Lifts Women’s Livelyhoods.

The need to replace the traditional three stone jiko with the efficient renewable energy has seen women in Kitungati location, Mbitini ward, Kitui rural sub-county in Kitui county engage in construction of the New improved firewood-efficient cooking stoves with bricks as a business. Since the women who were trained as CORPs through ADSE started construction of the stoves to the community, they allude that their lives have been transformed in terms of income generation which has greatly improved their livelihoods. The community members within the location have greatly embraced the use of the energy saving stoves as opposed to wasteful charcoal Jikos and use of firewood which contributes to deforestation and rise in illness due to indoor pollution.

Vaati Muthami one of trained CORPs “Ever since the training by ADSE on construction of energy saving stoves, I usually construct the Jikos to the community at a fee of Kes 1200 and am able to construct 6 stoves in one week which translates to 7200 and this has greatly improved my household income”. She says the stoves are very reliable and environment friendly for they use little wood fuel for it saves a lot of energy, is and emits no smoke thus user friendly.

In Kathiani, Masinga, and Kalama sub-counties, 250 caregivers were linked with a project dubbed CQuest Capital (CQC) that constructs the modern stoves. These caregivers have benefitted from modern stoves which are installed using modernized ways that reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere. The stoves are key conservatives of energy. They are economical in fuel usage and since they use fewer amounts of firewood. This has since improved their resiliency as they no longer use their savings to purchase charcoal and refill gases which are more expensive. Through the skills of making stoves, they have gained employment opportunities, where they construct for other members of the community at a fee. This has increased their saving rate in the Village Saving and Loaning Activities group and they are able to pay fees for the children and also afford transport for the children to attend clinic day; which will has ensured treatment adherence and viral suppression.