Zambia rural cookstove project feedbacks

Glanda Mpampi is kneeling on the ground with the baby in her arms to stir her lunch. Her bubbling stew pot balances on three rocks encircling a large log that has been smouldering since dawn. The smoke blows in her face, making her eyes water and her chest tighten. It leaves a grey tint on the handful of household items that scatter the room. Ms Mpampi cooks the same way as her ancestors. The same is true for collecting fuel; rising with the sun and walking several miles with her trusty ox in tow.

Over 700 million Africans cook on three-stone, open fires like Ms Mpampi. Three-stone fires are extremely inefficient and the collection of wood fuel is the leading driver of forest degradation across the continent. Burning wood fuel, in turn, creates more carbon emissions each year than the entire economy of the United Kingdom. Household air pollution (HAP) – or smoke – from open fires causes over 4 million premature deaths each year; more than tuberculosis and HIV combined. However, there is a solution that can help Ms Mpampi, her family, and her community.