Modern clean cooking technologies offer significant potential to address a long-standing challenge in Kenya, where most institutions still rely on polluting fuels. The MECS programme, in partnership with CLASP, has been working to introduce large-scale electric cookstoves as a clean and efficient alternative, with a particular focus on schools. This initiative goes beyond merely replacing traditional cooking methods, aiming to improve the health and safety of both cooks and students while transforming daily operations in educational institutions.
CLASP, together with Ecobora and the MECS Kenya team, piloted a 300L electric cookstove in eight learning institutions across the country. The pilot aimed to monitor and collect data on the cookstoves’ performance, comparing them to traditional methods such as three-stone fires and improved cookstoves. The initiative also sought to identify challenges that could hinder the transition to electric cooking, or eCooking.
This study highlights the learnings from one specific school, D.E.B. Ntharene Primary & Junior Secondary School in Meru County, illustrating how the adoption of electric cookstoves can impact school operations, health, and safety while providing insights into the behavioral and practical changes required for a successful transition.
