Tembea Organisation: Bringing Change, Energy Efficient Cookstove

In the quiet villages of Ugunja Sub-County, the air often carries the scent of burning wood, an age-old tradition of cooking over open fires. But inside a small, bustling workshop, something different is happening. Here, hands covered in clay mold a future where cooking no longer comes at the expense of forests and women’s health. This is the work of Tembea Organisation, a community-based group dedicated to fighting climate change through simple, life-changing innovations. 

 

At the heart of this initiative is 46-year-old Caroline Arony, a mother of four from Usung Kodweso village near Ugunja town. For years, Caroline spent hours each day gathering firewood, her back aching under the weight of heavy bundles. Smoke from the open fire stung her eyes and choked her lungs, a silent but deadly hazard she endured daily. 

 

“I used to wake up at 5 a.m. just to fetch firewood before heading to the farm,” 

Caroline recalls, her voice carrying both exhaustion and relief. 

“Some days, I would walk for miles because trees near the village were already cut down.” 

 

A Stove That Saves Trees and Time 

 

One day, she attended a community meeting organized by Tembea Organisation. There, she learned about a new kind of cookstove, one that used less wood, produced less smoke, and cooked faster. The concept seemed too good to be true, but Caroline decided to try it. 

 

With training from Tembea, she built her own energy-efficient cookstove using locally available material. The first time she lit it, she was amazed. The small, enclosed fire burned hotter and longer, using only a fraction of the wood she once needed. 

 

“Before, I would need five big pieces of firewood to cook a meal. Now, two are enough,”

 she says with a smile. 

“I don’t have to spend my whole day looking for firewood. I can focus on farming and my children.” 

 

A Fight Against Deforestation and Climate Change 

 

Across Siaya and Busia County, dozens of families are adopting the energy-saving cookstoves, reducing the pressure on the nearby forest cover. With fewer trees cut down for firewood, the land is healing, and the air is cleaner. 

 

Tembea Organisation’s Deputy Director, Nicholas Ngesa, explains the bigger picture. 

“Deforestation is one of the biggest causes of climate change. When we cut down trees, we lose rainfall, soil fertility, and biodiversity. But with these cookstoves, we are reducing wood consumption by over 50% per household. That’s a big win for the environment.” 

 

Beyond the environmental benefits, the cookstoves also improve health. Women and children, who spend the most time around kitchen fires, now breathe cleaner air. Cases of respiratory illnesses are decreasing, and kitchen spaces are becoming safer. 

 

Empowering Women, Strengthening Communities 

 

For Tembea Organisation, the goal is not just to distribute stoves but to empower communities to build them. They train local women like Caroline to construct and maintain the stoves, turning them into climate champions in their own homes. 

 

“I now teach other women in my village how to make the stoves,”

 Caroline says, her hands shaping the wet clay with practiced ease. 

“When you know something that makes life easier, you have to share it.” 

 

Tembea’s work is far from over. With more support, they hope to expand their reach, ensuring that every household in Nyanza has access to an efficient cookstove. 

 

As the sun sets over Siaya County, the sounds of crackling firewood still fill the air, but in many homes, the flames are burning cleaner and brighter, thanks to a simple, yet powerful innovation. And thanks to Tembea Organisation, families like Caroline's are cooking their way to a more sustainable future. 

Bravo to Tembea Organisation. 

---