Clean cooking initiative transforms health and livelihoods for women in East Gonja

Clean cooking initiative is transforming health and livelihoods for women in East Gonja. Women in Kakoshi and Lamsi and nearby communities in the East Gonja District of the Savannah Region are seeing major improvements in their health and livelihoods following the introduction of cleaner cooking technology. The Eco-Flame Project is changing the way women process cassava into gari.

The Eco-Flame Project is a joint initiative between World Vision Ghana and Vivo Energy. The project aims to support national efforts to adapt to climate change by promoting the use of energy-efficient stoves, lower indoor air pollution, and support sustainable livelihoods. More than 200 women have been trained to build, use, and maintain the stoves. Azara Tahiru, a beneficiary, said, "Our old clay stoves used to give us a lot of sickness, but the modern stoves built by World Vision and Vivo Energy have brought a lot of relief, and we are grateful." Residents say cases of cough and eye irritation have reduced significantly. Fuel wood use per gari roasting batch has fallen significantly. Smoke exposure has been virtually eliminated, freeing women from chronic coughs and eye infections. Gari roasting time has halved, and product quality has improved, boosting yields and income.

The initiative is also creating new opportunities, with some women training others and starting small businesses around stove construction. Shirley Tony Kum, Corporate Communication Manager of Vivo Energy Ghana, emphasised the vision for sustainability, project ownership, and potential scale-up across other communities. The project directly supports Ghana's Gender policies on gender equity, clean and affordable energy, health protection, and environmental stewardship, in alignment with SDGs 3, 5, 7, 13, and 15.