Inside a GoClimate funded climate project: Energy efficient cookstoves changes lives in rural Zambia

“The new stove has improved my life as it saves me time to do other activities due to its fast cooking”, says Maureen Mweleka, who lives in the village Mali. Before she received the new improved cookstove, she used to cook with three stone fire. The method, unlike open fires, has the cooking vessel placed very close to the fire itself, equiring three suitable stones of the same height on which a cooking pot is balanced over a fire. The wood needed for using this method required her to walk long distances to collect firewood. The new cookstove uses approximately 70% less wood than a three-stone fire to cook the same meals. “Now, I can just collect small pieces of wood within my yard”, says Maureen Mweleka. “And even during the rainy season I can easily cook in the house as the stove does not produce a lot of smoke,” says Maureen.

Maureen Mweleka is happy about the new improved cookstove.

Catherine Mwansa wants to spread the project to more households

Catherine Mwansa, who lives in the village Mwantalasha shares the same experience with the cookstove. “The stove uses less wood, and it is fast to cook meals and boil water for bathing”, Catherine Mwansa says. The cooking experience is much easier and cleaner now, she says. “The traditional 3 stone fire requires more wood, produces more smoke and makes pots dark and dirty as compared to the new improved stove which uses less wood, produces less smoke and does not make pots dark and dirty with smoke.” Catherine wants to spread the project to even more households in the village. “I am applying to management to continue helping us with these stoves so that those that did not receive stoves last time can get one and new households can also benefit from the project”, says Catherine.

Catherine Mwansa wants to work with spreading the word about the new improved cookstoves to more households.

“My favorite part of the job is having community engagement meetings”

Pilira Chirwa works as monitor of the project in collaboration with TASC. For her, the opportunity to work with the project has added great benefits to her life. “It has been a thrilling experience with lots of new lessons learned as a result of ongoing improvements in our daily operations dealing with the improved cookstoves project”, says Pilira Chirwa. As head of monitoring Piliras role has been to implement strategies that ensure that the cookstoves are being utilized in the most efficient manner by the beneficiaries. “This is done in accordance with our goals aligned with the purpose of the project which is to mitigate climate change”, says Pilira. The employment has created financial freedom for her and her family. “For example, I’m paying off my nephews and nieces school fees alongside investing in farming of corn which increases my financing base,” says Pilira. “My favorite part of the job is having community engagement meetings where I get to interact with pupils and different beneficiaries and encourage them to use the improved cookstoves and also reminding them the importance thereof.” she says.

Pilira Chirwa, monitor of the project in collaboration with TASC.

The interviews and photos in this article were made by TASC in May 2024. TASC is a leading global carbon project developer. Read more about TASC here.