Kussco launches fund to promote cleaner stoves

Money Markets

Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Co-operatives MD George Ototo during the launch of a Sacco revolving fund for clean stoves in Nairobi on Thursday. Photo/Diana Ngila 

By SARAH OOKO

In Summary

• Sacco members can access the Sh36m to acquire energy-saving stoves.

A new credit line available through saccos will see households access clean cooking stoves that conserve the environment and protect human health.

 

The Sh36 million Jiko Safi Fund was launched on Thursday by the Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Co-operatives Limited (Kussco) following a USAid grant.

It will promote the uptake of two types of clean stoves, Jikokoa and Jiko Tosha, that consume less fuel, burn charcoal or wood with reduced carbon monoxide emissions and lose less heat to the surroundings, compared to the ceramic jiko and open three-stone fires.

“This initiative is timely. It will promote the use of stoves that consume less wood or charcoal fuel, and release minimal toxic emissions,” said Kussco managing director George Ototo.

The money will be channelled through Kussco-affiliated saccos at an interest rate of six per cent per year. Saccos, however, have to create a seed fund to qualify, with Kussco increasing the facility by a factor of three.

The saccos will be under obligation to give the loans to members at an annual interest rate of 10 per cent. The cooking stoves are selling at between Sh3,000 to Sh3,500.

Jikokoa is manufactured by Burn Company while Jiko Tosha is by Environfit Limited.

Industrialisation and Enterprise Development principal secretary Wilson Songa said energy-efficient cooking technologies would reduce depletion of forests and enable households make huge fuel savings.

The World Health Organisation estimates that 84 per cent of Kenyans primarily rely on solid fuels such as wood and charcoal that emit high volumes of toxic fumes when burned on rudimentary cooking stoves like the three-stone open fires.

Exposure to harmful emissions is responsible for more than 25 per cent of pneumonia deaths in children and close to 40 per cent of deaths from stroke, heart and lung disease.

They have also been linked to tuberculosis, lung cancer, cervical cancer, low birth weight in children and severe eye infections like cataracts.

The UN Global Alliance for Clean Cook stoves estimates that indoor air pollution impacts the health of more than 14 million Kenyans annually, killing about 15,000 people each year.