BURN Manufacturing, a cookstove company located just outside Nairobi, has helped over one million families in Kenya save roughly Sh3 billion.
The savings were enabled by using its clean burning jiko - the jikokoaTM - that cuts daily charcoal use and offers users improved health and environmental benefits.
Since 2013, the company has sold about 200,000 clean burning jikos to Kenyan families – which average about five members per household.
Most Kenyans spend as much as 40,000Ksh a year on charcoal, more than households in the US or Europe, putting an enormous strain not only on poor households but also on Kenya's forests.
BURN GM Boston Nyer said: “BURN’s jikokoaTM saves urban households up to Sh20,000 a year, and allows them to enjoy cooking that is clean, safe and economical while saving them time and money.”
“Our goal is to reach another 2 million homes in the next year in the East African region with our clean burning cookstove and we have partnered with MFIs like Equity bank and M-Kopa to provide financing to increase access and adoption of the jikokoaTM.”
According to the World Health Organization 2012 report, 4.3 million people die each year from exposure to indoor air pollution caused by cooking in open fires or rudimentary stoves in poorly ventilated rooms, these deaths more than those from Malaria and HIV/AIDs combined.