We often read many articles and reports on household stoves and energy poverty. But we forget to acknowledge that schools are also cooking with traditional 3-stone fires, and these are the largest and most concentrated existing firewood consumers on the continent. Just imagine saucepans that range from 30 to 600 litres capacities, a diameter of 1-meter wide, like a truck tyre!

And someone has to prepare the meals every single day, under such unhealthy and unsafe conditions. So how do we support decarbonisation that benefits the people most at risk from energy poverty?

Although electric pressure cookers are not an option available at such scale right now for institutional consumers, we do have the opportunity to help schools move away from traditional cooking practices to energy efficient stoves with institutional improved cook stoves (IICS).

By default, the use of an IICS provides a decent working environment to all those involved in the cooking activities - usually women. Because the IICS are notonly cleaner and safer, but also faster for preparing meals, it gives cooks the opportunity for leisure and using that extra time to pursue activities in their own interest and comfort.

During the year 2022, Simoshi directly impacted 158 women in the kitchen who benefitted from the use of an IICS and support provided during the training sessions.