Clean cooking initiative transforms health, livelihoods in East Gonja

Women in Kakoshi and Lamsi and nearby communities in the East Gonja District of the Savannah Region are seeing major improvements in their health and livelihoods following the introduction of cleaner cooking technology.

For years, women in these communities in the region processed cassava into gari using firewood and open fire methods that exposed them to heavy smoke and harmful gases. The practice not only affected their health but also contributed to deforestation and took time away from other economic activities.

The project, which aims to lower indoor air pollution and support sustainable livelihoods, is an initiative dubbed the Eco-Flame Project. It is a joint initiative between World Vision Ghana and Vivo Energy and is targeted at supporting national efforts to adapt to climate change by promoting the use of energy-efficient stoves.

More than 200 women have been trained to build, use and maintain the stoves. As a result, gari production is now faster, cleaner and more efficient, helping to increase incomes.

“Our old clay stoves used to give us a lot of sickness, but the modern stoves built by World Vision and Vivo Energy have brought a lot of relief and we are grateful,” said Azara Tahiru, a beneficiary.

With many households now using the improved stoves, residents say cases of cough and eye irritation have reduced significantly. Fuel wood use per gari roasting batch has fallen significantly.

Also, smoke exposure has been virtually eliminated, freeing women from chronic coughs and eye infections. Gari roasting time has halved, and product quality has improved, boosting yields and income.

Project leaders say the initiative is also creating new opportunities, with some women training others and starting small businesses around stove construction.

Corporate Communication Manager of Vivo Energy Ghana, Shirley Tony Kum, during her visit to Kakoshi, emphasised the vision for sustainability, project ownership and potential scale-up across other communities.

This project directly supports Ghana’s gender policies on gender equity, clean and affordable energy, health protection and environmental stewardship, in alignment with SDGs 3, 5, 7, 13, and 15.

It demonstrates an integrated model where energy-efficient stove technology is linked with women’s skills training, enterprise creation, and local leadership, producing real gains in respiratory health and income across Kakoshi and Lamsi.

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