DelAgua and BURN’s Partner to Avail Clean Stove to Every Rural Household in Rwanda
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DelAgua, which runs Live Well, Africa’s largest clean cook stove programme exclusively targeting rural communities depending on traditional wood fuelled fires, has purchased one million stoves from Kenya-based manufacturer, BURN’s portable stove, which is the world’s most fuel-efficient rocket stove, was chosen by DelAgua to meet the needs of the rural communities it serves: it is durable, simple to use and works for the women and the reality of their lives.
The combination of DelAgua’s comprehensive education and support, which is provided to each family throughout the 10-year life of the stove, and the high performance of BURN’s stove means DelAgua’s Live Well programme is delivering exceptional impact.
DelAgua’s unique network of over 7,000 community-based health workers visit every family at least twice a year so they can help, support and accurately monitor stove usage. This means 99% of stoves are in daily use.
Household air pollution is cut by 73% when used outside. There is a 71% reduction in wood fuel use and a 46% reduction in diarrhoea in children under 5 through using boiled water.
The Live Well programme is providing a clean cookstove to every rural household across Rwanda by 2024.
The programme has recently launched in The Gambia and Sierra Leone with more markets to follow this year.
Euan McDougall, DelAgua, COO said: “Our partnership with BURN began in 2021 and in just 2 years is transforming the lives of millions of the poorest households in the poorest countries. Carbon financing enables us to provide free access to clean cooking, at scale and for the long term, to those previously denied it because of lack of affordability.”
“The provision of BURN’s stove that provides a step change in performance from existing practices, delivering benefits that matter and users notice, together with DelAgua’s unrivalled education and support, means Live Well is leading the way in tackling the global crisis of dirty cooking, improving health and benefiting the environment.”
Peter Scott, BURN, CEO said; “BURN was born out of a passion for saving lives and forests. Over the past decade, we’ve witnessed the powerful impact clean cooking technology can have on families. We are proud to be the cook stove partner of choice for DelAgua and deeply appreciate their focus on community engagement, support and education.
Scott said that they are thrilled to have achieved this incredible one million stove milestone – a testament to the power of our partnership – and look forward to continuing to expand our impact together.”
Figures from the Delagua “Tubeho Neza” project implemented in in partnership with the government of Rwanda shows that many Rwandans have so far benefited.
For instance, 1.3 million stoves distributed to date, 6.5 million lives transformed, against the target of supplying 2.3 million stoves by the end of 2024.
Upon completion, the project also aims at seeing that 64 km2 forestry will be saved annually, and at least 5 hours a day saved on cooking duties, freeing women from the fire place, 73% reduction in household air pollution when using the stove outdoors.
Also 27.7% reduction in cook stove emission exposure among children, 46% reduction in diarrhoea in children under 5 years when using boiled water and ensuring for every household gets trained and educated to ensure long term behaviour change.
