Breathing Easier: Eco-Stoves Empowering Rwandan Families

In the hills and villages of Rwanda, the smell of wood smoke has long been part of daily life. For decades, most families relied on three-stone fires or traditional stoves to cook their meals. While these methods were simple and familiar, they came at a heavy cost — forests cut down for firewood, hours lost collecting fuel, and homes filled with smoke that endangered health.

Today, a quiet but powerful change is underway. Across Rwanda, eco-stoves — also known as improved cookstoves — are bringing cleaner air, lower costs, and a new sense of possibility for households and communities.

A Relief for Families

For mothers like Claudine in Nyagatare District, the difference is immediate. “Before, I spent almost half the day collecting wood,” she explains. “Now, with this new stove, I use much less. I have more time for my children and for farming.”

Eco-stoves are designed to burn fuel more efficiently, reducing the amount of firewood or charcoal needed. In some cases, families cut their fuel use nearly in half. That means less money spent, fewer hours walking long distances, and far less smoke in the kitchen.

Protecting Rwanda’s Forests

Rwanda has ambitious goals to restore forests and fight climate change. With more than 70% of households traditionally relying on biomass for cooking, eco-stoves are a crucial part of the solution. Each improved stove can save hundreds of kilograms of firewood per year, easing pressure on forests and reducing carbon emissions.

Projects near Volcanoes National Park, for example, not only cut fuel demand but also protect habitats for Rwanda’s iconic mountain gorillas.

Healthier Homes, Stronger Communities

Indoor air pollution has been a silent killer in many rural homes, contributing to respiratory illnesses, eye problems, and chronic coughing. By producing less smoke, eco-stoves reduce these risks, especially for women and children who spend the most time near cooking fires.

At the same time, the spread of eco-stove initiatives is creating new economic opportunities. Local cooperatives and small businesses are building, distributing, and maintaining stoves. This is generating jobs for youth and women, while making the technology more accessible.

Support and Partnerships

The Rwandan government, NGOs, and private companies are all playing a role. Programs such as the Clean Cooking Results-Based Financing scheme help make stoves affordable, while local innovators are experimenting with fuels like briquettes and pellets made from agricultural waste. Schools and institutions are also joining in, showing that clean cooking can work at scale.

Looking Ahead

Eco-stoves alone will not solve every challenge. Affordability, awareness, and consistent supply of alternative fuels remain barriers. But the progress so far shows that clean cooking is more than a technology — it is a pathway to healthier families, greener landscapes, and stronger livelihoods.

For Rwanda, eco-stoves are more than just cooking tools. They are part of a bigger vision: a future where development and environmental protection go hand in hand, and where every household can breathe a little easier.