Nuru’s Switch to Clean Cooking

For years, Nuru Simba, a 52-year-old mother of five in Ntyuka Ward, Dodoma, endured the daily routine of cooking over a traditional charcoal stove. Each meal came with a cost. It wasn’t just the $1.50 she spent on charcoal, but also the hours lost, the irritation from smoke, and the burns on her hands. Like many women in her community, she had accepted this as the norm.

In August 2024, Nuru Simba’s daughter attended a community event in Dodoma organized by Sayari Safi Tanzania, a clean cooking enterprise expanding its reach with support from the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) through the Tanzania Clean Cooking Project (TCCP).

At the event, Sayari Safi showcased improved biomass cookstoves that were affordable, efficient and safer than traditional options. Backed by a results-based financing grant from AECF, Sayari Safi was able to offer the stoves at a subsidized price, making them accessible to low-income households like Nuru’s. Inspired by what she heard, Nuru purchased one for just $6.

That small purchase sparked a transformation. The new stove cut her charcoal costs by more than half, saving her $0.90 every day. It reduced cooking time by up to two and a half hours, freeing Nuru to focus on her small grocery kiosk. With the extra time, she now earns an additional $8 daily. This money helps her support her children and invest in her business.

But the impact goes beyond economics. “The handles stay cool, even when the stove is hot,” Nuru says. “It uses less charcoal, and after cooking, it retains heat long enough to keep food warm. I no longer worry about burns or smoke. I finish cooking faster and have more time for my business.”

After seeing how well the stove worked, Nuru told a few of her neighbors about it. Four of them ended up buying one too. Neema, who coordinates Sayari Safi’s hub in Dodoma, says many customers in the area have shared similar stories. People in both rural and peri-urban communities are responding positively to the stoves.

Her story is one of thousands. Sayari Safi has distributed over 200,000 improved cookstoves across Tanzania, with 55,000 units sold under the TCCP-AECF partnership. The initiative is not only improving lives; it is creating them. More than 80 jobs have been generated in manufacturing and distribution. These efforts contribute to SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

By Florian Ndyamukama – Portfolio Officer, Tanzania Clean Cooking Program.