Biomass multitasking cook stove as a sustainable energy alternative for urban informal settlements and rural areas in Kenya. 
http://www.grandchallenges.ca/grantee-stars/0428-01/
Issue

• In Kenya, waterborne diseases are the second biggest killer, after malaria.
• The main cause is people drinking water directly from rivers and contaminated wells and, while bacteria from these water sources could be removed by boiling the water, most people are not doing this because of the extra fuel cost and the high cost of fuel.
• Smoke from inefficient fires in poorly ventilated homes also makes indoor air pollution (IAP) the fourth biggest killer in the developing world.

Solution

• The project team designed and fabricated a unique cook stove (the ECOS stove) with a dual purpose:  providing boiling water while, at the same time, cooking food.
• The stove contains two chambers, a cooking pot and an inner boiling pot. High temperatures emanating while cooking food also heat up the water in the boiling chamber, thus killing pathogens contained in water.
• The water can then be used for domestic purposes, including drinking and hand washing.
• This approach also saves on energy costs, as the cooking of food and boiling of water are done simultaneously.
• A feasibility study was conducted to test the stove and quantify the environmental impact of the stove.
• A market survey was also conducted and a distribution model developed that enabled a better environment for contracting partners for stove distribution.
• The project was implemented in Mwingi, Kilifi, Kiambu and Nairobi areas of Kenya.
• A fabrication facility and a secretariat were established, and 400 stoves were produced and released in the market.

Outcome

• Four hundred households are currently using two models of ECOS stoves and 95% of these have reported a significant reduction in indoor pollution.
• A survey showed 65% of households reported significant savings in fuel costs, since the ECOS stoves use 75% less fuel, compared to the traditional three-stone fire.
• The project team was able to participate in five national events where the stove was showcased.
• Studies of the impact of introducing the stove on rates of diarrhoea are ongoing.
• Knowledge about the project has been distributed in conferences.

Reduce incidences of child mortality due to water borne illnesses, and increase access to clean water.
​http://www.grandchallenges.ca/grantee-stars/0530-01-10/
 Issue
In Kenya, waterborne diseases are the second biggest killer after malaria.
The main cause is people drinking water directly from rivers and contaminated wells; while bacteria from these water sources could be removed by boiling the water, most people are not doing this because of the extra fuel cost and the high cost of fuel.
Smoke from inefficient fires in poorly ventilated homes also makes indoor air pollution (IAP) the fourth biggest killer in the developing world.
 Solution
The project deployed a fuel-efficient, multi-tasking, biomass stove featuring an innovative built-in jacket that can be filled with five litres of water.
This feature both helps to insulate the stove, making it more efficient, and allows the user to simultaneously boil water whilst cooking.
The rationale of the Jiko Kenya stove project was to introduce these fuel-efficient stoves to meet a number of goals:

• To alleviate the burden on natural resources
• To promote the use of clean cook stoves to reduce child mortality, to support the Millennium Development Goal
• To promote economic development and empowerment of women and youth
• To reduce time spent sourcing wood fuel
• To reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases, as a result of drinking dirty water that was not boiled
• To increase access to clean water.

A total of 600 stoves were produced and 300 households were profiled for the pilot project, to assess changes in attitude towards boiling water before drinking.
A study to identify the impact of the use of the stoves on diarrhoea incidence in children was then conducted.
 Outcome
Out of the 300 households studied, 200 households (66%) continuously boiled the water using the Jiko Kenya stove every day, which exceeded the initial target of 60%.
Of those participating in the Jiko Kenya project, 95% of households reported an 80% reduction in the incidence of waterborne diseases, compared to the period before they used the stove.
In Kitui County, the percentage of children who missed school as a result of water-related illnesses was reduced by more than 80%, due to the project.
Thirty households in Kitui were trained in safe water storage to avoid contamination.
The project has developed additional marketing and educational materials, and 2,000 people have been reached during exhibitions and through house-to-house visits.
The project team has submitted a letter of intent for Phase II Transition To Scale funding to scale up the initiative.