CLT Clean Energy Project Transforming Lives in Bamba, Kilifi County

Centre for Litigation Trust (CLT) has launched a transformative community-based project aimed at restoring forest cover, combating climate change, and uplifting livelihoods in the drought-prone areas of Bamba and Ganze, in Kilifi County.

The initiative being implemented in partnership with Active Environmental Team, is set to equip women and youth with skills to produce energy-efficient cooking stoves known as JIKOS  KISASA, alongside seed funding, to kick-start small enterprises.

The modern cooking stoves use compressed briquettes made from biomass materials such as charcoal dust and agricultural waste as a cleaner, longer-lasting fuel alternative.

Unlike traditional stoves, Jiko KiISASA produces less smoke, consumes less fuel, and reduces pressure on dwindling forests.

Ms Mbeyu, one of the users of the JIKOS  KISASA, and a resident of Ganze, who described it as efficient and smoke-free, urged fellow women to transition to the cleaner alternative, saying it not only saves money but also protects their health.

A few meters away in Kasiani sub-location, Janet Reyanae Lolhojine echoes similar concerns. For years, she depended solely on firewood, often walking long distances to collect it as charcoal remained unaffordable and scarce.

“Our trees are disappearing. If we don’t act now, Bamba will turn into a desert,” she warned.

Bamba and Ganze areas continue to face acute water shortages and food insecurity, with many households turning to charcoal burning as a primary source of income.

However, project coordinator Faith Mukambe Kadenge says the clean energy initiative is designed to break this cycle.

“Smoke affects the respiratory health of children. We want this to be a thing of the past. We want charcoal burning to stop and people to focus on planting trees and using alternative energy sources,” she said.

Japhet Kithi, Chairman of the Active Environmental Team and a resident of Dzovuni, noted that the project is training 20 women as Trainers of Trainers (TOTs) who will pass on the knowledge to others across the community.

“We want to impact positive change both environmentally and economically. Through briquette production and Jiko moulding, women will have an alternative source of income while conserving the environment,” he said.

Climate expert Patrick Ochieng from the Centre for Litigation Trust emphasized that Bamba is among the areas hardest hit by climate change in Kilifi County.

“Deforestation has worsened water shortages and poverty levels. When people lack food and water, they are severely affected. All levels of government must step in to create lasting solutions,” he said.

Jiko Kisasa consultant Joseph Caleb Ochere explained that the stove is moulded using special clay and hardened to withstand high temperatures, making it durable and suitable for long-term use.

He believes the project will spark entrepreneurship among women who can produce and sell the stoves locally.

“This project will help many women become self-reliant. They can mould the jikos and sell them as a business venture,” Ochere said, adding that his motivation stems from witnessing the disappearance of firewood in his own home region.

Julius Ogogoh, the Executive Director for the Centre for Litigation Trust,  concluded that beyond clean cooking, the broader vision of the project includes reforestation efforts, sustainable livelihood programs, and long-term climate resilience strategies.

"The Centre, as of now, has a broader vision for Bamba and Ganze people in terms of afforestation, food security and easy access to clean Water. There must be a quick and sustainable transformation of lives in this area' says Ogogoh.

He says the initiative signals more than just a shift in cooking methods; it marks the beginning of environmental restoration, improved public health, and renewed economic hope for communities in Ganze and beyond.