In the shadow of the Kenyan highlands, a large group of 150 Maasai women gathers in Ereri village, Laikipia North. They are clad in vibrant coloured fabrics, and their layered beadwork shimmers in the sun. The colours pop against the dusty earth and blue horizon. These women have come together to collect their new cookstoves: locally produced appliances that help reduce carbon emissions, limit deforestation, and create a healthier cooking environment.
Women from local Maasai communities with their children during a cookstove distribution event. Hongera Energy Efficient Cookstove Project, DGB.
The women wait patiently in line, a copy of their ID papers in hand, ready to receive their stove. Each unit is carefully registered: The recipient’s name is checked off the list, their home is linked to GPS coordinates, and future usage will be monitored in line with international verification standards under the Gold Standard. In the next few years, independent auditors will visit their homes to confirm that the cookstoves are in use—an essential requirement for issuing high-quality carbon units.
A small device with big benefits
These cookstoves are up to 60% more efficient than traditional three-stone cooking methods, dramatically reducing indoor smoke, limiting deforestation, and saving families hours each day otherwise spent collecting firewood. Less smoke also means fewer respiratory issues, especially for women and children who spend the most time in the house.
Read more: The social impact of DGB Group’s projects
What makes the Hongera Energy Efficient Cookstove Project stand out is its attention to quality, transparency, and community engagement. It shows that when cookstove projects are implemented correctly, they can be an exceptionally effective tool for both environmental action and human health.
Each recipient receives practical instructions on how to use and care for the stove, as well as information about the health and environmental benefits. The stoves are designed for the local context and built to last.
Read more: DGB’s cookstove projects: How they truly make a difference
Locally made, lasting impact
A local artisan working in a cookstove factory. Hongera Energy Efficient Cookstove Project, DGB.
The cookstoves are locally produced. We spend months refining the production process, ensuring every stove meets high standards for quality and efficiency. The result is not just a better product; it also generates local jobs and strengthens the regional economy.
Read more: Ensuring impact: Kitchen performance testing for DGB’s cookstoves
Concerns that the stoves might not be used? Not here. The enthusiasm is unmistakable, with women gently jostling for a spot closer to the front of the line. As soon as the women receive their stoves, they examine them closely, then carry them home with pride, ready to cook the first of many meals.
Close-up of a Maasai woman holding her newly received cookstove. Hongera Energy Efficient Cookstove Project, DGB.
And they are not alone. This gathering in Ereri is one of many taking place across Kenya. So far, more than 76,000 cookstoves have been distributed as part of DGB’s 150,000-stove Hongera Energy Efficient Cookstove Project. That means tens of thousands of households—mostly women—are already cooking with less smoke, spending less time gathering firewood, and breathing cleaner air.
Read more: DGB Group’s Hongera cookstoves: transforming homes, health, and habitats
Looking to offset your carbon footprint while supporting real impact on the ground? Purchase verified carbon units from the Hongera Project, directly through one of our sustainability experts or via the CO₂ Expert tool. With each unit, you're not only helping to mitigate your carbon emissions but also improving daily life in communities like Ereri.
Smiling women from the Maasai communities during a cookstove distribution event. Hongera Energy Efficient Cookstove Project, DGB.
With this project, DGB shows that cookstove initiatives have the ability to change lives when they are built on quality, local engagement, and full transparency. And above all, when you truly listen to the people who use them.
