This archive report was first published on 31 October 2019.
On a typical day, Catherine Mutua would use charcoal and gas to cook for her young family. However, as the cost of these fuels continued to rise, she began to explore alternative options.
It was then that she discovered ethanol, a cleaner and more affordable fuel source that has become a game-changer for her household.
"Before I was using the gas and charcoal,” Mutua said. “I shifted after I was educated how the fuel is cheap, safe for the kids, for the environment."
Thanks to Koko Networks, a Nairobi-based startup, Mutua was able to access ethanol at a nearby filling station. The company also sells ethanol stoves, which cost around $70.
Regina Anyango, a food kiosk owner in Kangemi neighborhood, has also made the switch to ethanol. She no longer has to deal with the black fumes spewed out by her charcoal stove.
"So far it has been very economical, no fume faster to use when you are cooking, Anyango said. “And it's easy to control."
Health experts warn that fumes from charcoal and kerosene contribute to respiratory diseases and produce carbon emissions that are heating up the Earth's atmosphere. In contrast, ethanol is made from food sources like sugar or corn and is considered carbon-neutral.
Some officials believe that this alternative source of energy can help reduce the number of trees cut down for charcoal or firewood.
"Because of the nature of fuel that we used to cook — kerosene, charcoal — you will be forced to cook outside because of the harmful fumes that we have,” Wakoli said. “But we are giving you an in-house solution, which is 200-300 meters away, you can get for a very small bundle."
Wakoli added that the filling stations are located in densely populated areas of Nairobi, such as Kawangware, Kibera, and Kitengela, where the need for cleaner energy is greatest.
As of now, Koko Networks has a customer base of up to 3,000 people.
