Tackling obstacles to rural development with energy-efficient cookstoves and safe water technology
Most Kenyan households spend a significant amount of time and income procuring fuel to cook and boil water. The continued collection of firewood by local people in Paradigm target locations is exhausting local wood supplies and causing deforestation. Community members must consequently travel further more than 15 kilometres from their towns to collect fuel – in some cases, mothers are away from their young children and nursing infants for many hours.
with improved health due to reduced indoor smoke pollution
provided for local people who are trained by Paradigm
delivered to date, reducing the amount of wood required for cooking
mitigated on average annually
needed for cooking and boiling, reducing pressures on nearby forests
The project distributes efficient stoves and expands access clean water across Kenya. Replacing traditional cookstoves with locally manufactured, efficient stoves reduces fuel use by about 450% and decreases toxic emissions by up to 70%. Families now require less wood fuel to cook and purify water supplies, and pressures on the surrounding forests are eased.
By distributing these modern efficient cookstoves, the project creates household savings of up to 15% – money that can instead go towards food, school fees, and other essentials. Improved indoor air quality significantly reduces cases of respiratory disease and pneumonia, and women are empowered by financial- and time savings. Safe water filters and community dispensers provide prevent water-borne diseases, and the project also creates local employment opportunities.
