In the coastal town of Msambweni, Kenya, our partner organization SheNature is building something beautiful.
Driven by their leadership, women are gathering to share knowledge with one another, restore local habitat, and stop indoor pollution — building a healthier environment for all. SheNature has trained 45 women on improved cookstove installation, and with the group’s help, they installed five improved cookstoves in local households.
Because women typically assume the responsibility of cooking in the household, they are disproportionately exposed to indoor air pollution caused by traditional stoves, which burn inefficiently and release high amounts of carbon into the air. This can increase their risk of lung cancer and other health problems caused by breathing in contaminants — according to the Columbia Climate School, smoke from traditional stoves causes tens of millions of illnesses per year. Improved cookstoves target this issue by reducing indoor air pollution by approximately 70% compared to traditional cookstoves.
Additionally, searching for firewood occupies a large portion of women's time. Firewood is very expensive to buy, placing a financial burden on households, so women collect firewood from the environment to supplement. Local deforestation means that firewood is scarce and people are forced to cut down remaining trees, further harming the ecosystem. Improved cookstoves burn more efficiently and use alternative fuel (such as briquettes made from charcoal or biomass), reducing household costs and the need to harvest trees, and freeing time to pursue other pastimes like education or other livelihood opportunities.
The five cookstoves SheNature installed benefit over 120 community members; 120 people who are now able to experience a healthier environment and smaller fuel costs. The women who were trained in cookstove installation are encouraged to share their knowledge with others, establishing a chain of knowledge that extends beyond this project’s footprint. SheNature also taught the women the importance of conserving local endangered species and collaborated with elders to teach the younger women how to identify them.
Finally, SheNature established a tree nursery for the endangered species Ziziphus robertsoniana in collaboration with the local government. They also organized a community tree planting event for Mangroves — a tree that has enormous environmental importance but also suffers intensely from habitat degradation. They planted 1,000 mangrove seedlings and are currently monitoring the newly planted trees to ensure their stability.
To help us support more projects like this, please consider donating to our cause! Together, let’s build a future where women lead positive and healthy change, for communities and for nature alike.
