Story by Maureen Mumo

Cook Profile

Scolastica Kamene
Age 28
Mother of one
Lives in Matuu, Kenya

Purchase Date and Location

Scolastica bought her stove in September of 2014 through the women's savings group in her area.

Reason for Purchase

The primary reason for Scolastica's purchase was to cut down on her fuel expenditure. Charcoal was her main source of fuel, and she wanted to find a way to minimize the money she spent while maintaining her ability to prepare meals for her family.

Cooking

"There's nothing I cannot cook on this stove. I can even cook maize on it," Scolastica explains. Her family uses the EcoZoom stove for more than just preparing meals. "After cooking in the evening, I place a pot of water on the stove for my husband to use in the morning as his bath water."

The Transformation

Since switching to their EcoZoom stove, Scolastica's family's fuel expenditure has been significantly reduced. She used to spend 50 Kenyan shillings (approximately 0.51 USD) a day on fuel. Today, she's able to make that same amount stretch to cover three days' worth.

She likes the appearance of the stove, and said it catches the attention of her community, many of whom initially mistake it for an LPG gas-powered stove. Scolastica says she considers herself very fortunate to no longer worry about headaches or breathing difficulties due to the inhalation of carbon emissions.