Hifadhi - Livelihoods Project

The project provides poor households in the Mount Kenya region with affordable, clean and efficient cookstoves that reduce the consumption of firewood and emit less smoke with positive social and environmental impacts. They also reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere which helps to mitigate climate change.

To facilitate this, local manufacture and distribution of new ‘hifadhi’ cookstoves has been set up by training local artisans and hiring local project officers. Affordable and easily portable the stoves  consume almost 60% less firewood than traditional fires. And this percentage is significant for families for a number of reasons.

Firstly, biomass collection is a time-consuming and laborious task, usually the responsibility of women and children. A reduction in this time has a significantly positive impact on their daily lives freeing them up for study, other work or more family time.

The health of project beneficiaries is greatly impacted with the reduction of smoke inhalation meaning that families are less vulnerable to the risks of life-threatening illnesses related to in-door cooking, illnesses which claim the lives of millions each year.

The Livelihoods – Hifadhi project is financed by the Livelihoods Carbon Fund, an impact investment fund created by 10 private companies (www.livelihoods.eu). These companies rely on the Livelihoods Carbon Fund to provide them with carbon credits with high social value to offset their emissions. The project saves over 174,000 tCO₂e annually, contributing to the vital fight against climate change.

The upfront financing provided by the Livelihoods Carbon Fund to EcoAct and Climate Pal is also used for reforestation activities in the area by supplying communities with seedlings to grow trees. This is helping Kenya’s fragile forestry to recover, educating local people on the importance of their forests and even providing families with incomes and a sustainable source of wood.

Most importantly, this project is demonstrating the power of collaboration between communities, an impact investment fund backed by private companies and a project developer in driving forward sustainable development and positive change where it is really needed.