In 1987,
the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
At Lowaki Eco Solutions, we have spent countless hours on the ground (as we Kenyans like to say), witnessing firsthand the realities of rural households. The push for clean energy is not just a noble idea; it is a necessity. However, we must acknowledge that transitioning to Tier 5 solutions like electric cooking and LPG won’t happen overnight. Change takes time, and more importantly, it must meet people where they are.
Today, 70% of households in Kenya still rely on biomass fuels for cooking. For years, the silent danger of household air pollution was dismissed—until the undeniable statistics began telling a different story. Families are now seeing the tragic impact of indoor smoke exposure: lungs blackened like those of chain smokers, even among elderly church women who never touched a cigarette in their lives. We have witnessed this firsthand—in Murang’a, and even more painfully, in the loss of the mother of one of our key partners in Western Kenya. Her postmortem revealed she had succumbed to indoor smoke exposure. These stories are no longer distant tragedies; they are a reality for millions of households.
The shift to clean cooking must be practical, inclusive, and empathetic. That’s why we at Lowaki are working with youth and women’s groups to drive awareness and encourage a step-by-step transition. While electric pressure cookers and LPG are widely promoted, they remain financially out of reach for many rural households. So, we start where they are—helping them move from open fires to Tier 2 solutions like improved cookstoves and cleaner-burning briquettes. Every improved cookstove used, every household that reduces firewood and charcoal consumption, brings us closer to a future where clean cooking is the norm, not the exception.
Behavioral change is not just about technology—it’s about mindsets. At Lowaki, we don’t take this conversation lightly. We are grateful to our partners who share this vision and are walking with us, one household at a time.
#Sustainability hashtag#CleanCooking hashtag#BehaviorChange hashtag#EnergyTransition hashtag#LowakiEcoSolutions
