When the Story Begins in the Kitchen
Upon arriving in Kenya for a volunteer mission focused on providing clean cooking solutions, the first scene unfolded at Nairobi airport. Pulling my suitcase through the final exit hall, the power suddenly went out. I was worried at first; it was surprising to hear from an airport employee that such outages were "completely normal" and occur frequently. That unsettling moment marked the beginning of a journey of discovery—one that would uncover an often-overlooked reality.
In a world where energy powers nearly every facet of life, imagining life without it is difficult. Yet this mission—part of the inaugural fieldwork of the Forward7 initiative engaging student volunteers—revealed a different face of life altogether.
Forward7 team
Between Ash and Smoke
In communities not far from global centers of innovation, access to clean energy is not a given—not by choice, but due to the absence of available solutions. Behind every firewood stove stands a family, often a mother or daughter collecting firewood or charcoal from the village outskirts. Hours are consumed daily behind these smoky stoves, with little awareness of the long-term danger they pose.
Our volunteer mission began by collecting data, and my mission started from that very first moment at the airport. In the early villages we reached—Machakos, Kawangware, and Kitengela—the green cover surrounded the outskirts only, while the village itself was a complete desert, bearing the marks of carbon emissions. Scorched earth marked cooking zones, trees were visibly stripped of branches over the years, and children played around tree stumps, their pale eyes reflecting the toll of polluted air, despite their youthful energy. Girls spent their entire day—from early morning to late afternoon—pushing wooden carts to gather fuel for a single day’s meal.
According to the World Health Organization, respiratory diseases account for 21% of deaths among adults in Kenya. One conversation stood out: a 20-year-old girl responded to the question, "Who is responsible for the family and what is your source of income?" with a sobering reply: “Me. I collect charcoal in this cart. I give some to my little brother to sell, and I use the rest for cooking.” This scenario forces us to ask—what could her life have looked like if clean cooking solutions were accessible to her and her brother?
While some communities build ambitions around cutting-edge technologies, in others, simply accessing basic LPG fuel is an achievement. Community-adapted solutions like biogas digesters show promise. True transformation lies in empowerment—in offering communities the chance to be part of the solution and protect both their environment and their dignity.
When Change Begins Not from the Top, But from the Ground
Change does not always start from boardrooms or international conferences. It often begins in narrow alleys and modest homes lacking even the minimum requirements of modern life. This is not just about stoves, cooking, or fuel. It is about health, dignity, and basic human rights. In Kenya, a large portion of the population still relies on charcoal, firewood, and kerosene for cooking—practices that have devastating health and environmental consequences, particularly for women and children.
The team and I gathered field data from over 500 households, 20 local shops, and multiple schools in Nairobi’s peri-urban villages. These surveys were more than forms—they became conversations, expressions of lived experiences, and a bridge for unheard voices. Solutions alone are not sufficient on their own. Participation is essential—engaging the most active segment of society, the change makers—children—through innovative education platforms like e-education, building trust. Some families reported using alternative, rudimentary methods and expressed a desire to develop and improve them. The will to change already exists—it simply needs to be empowered not from the top but heard from the ground.
Capturing a Kenyan householder’s daily cooking practices and energy sources.
A Spark of Light at the End of the Stove
Through direct engagement, change began to surface—gradually, quietly, but profoundly. These moments reflected the strength of the initiative: raising awareness, enabling decisions, and redefining what is possible. This was no longer just a field mission. It became a testimony to a reality often overlooked in global sustainability dialogues.
Every family visited, every shop spoken to, every student who responded—shaped a deeper understanding of how much “Affordable and Clean Energy” is a transforming factor. This work reaffirms that true empowerment in development does not operate from the outside in—but from within.
