By Wanja Mwaniki
Access to safe and affordable cooking energy remains a significant challenge in developing countries, including Kenya. Traditional energy sources contribute to respiratory diseases and climate change through deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. Awuor Dorothy Otieno has been addressing these issues since 2016 with her company, Nyalore Impact Limited, which provides clean and affordable cooking solutions.
After completing her Business Administration course in 1990, Ms. Otieno engaged in various businesses, including agribusiness. Her passion for the kitchen led her to explore clean energy alternatives when her son introduced her to biomass fuel from recycled waste in 2014. “My son introduced me to alternative clean cooking biomass fuel from recycled waste, and a desire to promote sustainable living and a commitment to solve crucial concerns that many households face daily,” says Ms. Otieno.
Inspired by her research and experiences at the Clean Cooking Alliance Forum, she founded Nyalore Impact Limited in 2016. The company focuses on manufacturing improved cook stoves to address health, economic, and environmental challenges. “In 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, I saw firsthand the negative impacts of traditional cooking methods. I started production of improved cook stoves (ICS) to improve cooking in households,” she says.
In 2021, she introduced energy-efficient electric pressure cookers (EPCs), which gained popularity for reducing cooking time and energy consumption. She also launched Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) cooking solutions to make modern cooking equipment accessible to more households.
Ms. Otieno has tirelessly worked to provide low-income families with safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly cooking options. “My path has been tough but extremely rewarding, as I have witnessed the positive impact of our products on our customers’ health, environment, and lives,” she adds.
Among her innovations are EPCs, which significantly cut cooking time and energy consumption, and induction stoves, which eliminate the need for biomass fuels. PAYGO Cooking Solutions allow consumers to pay for their energy usage in manageable installments.
Initially targeting low-income households in Kenya’s rural areas, her market has grown to thousands of households. “We collaborated with local community groups and development organizations to identify areas that would most benefit from our energy-efficient electric pressure cookers (EPC),” she says.
Starting in the clean cooking business was challenging. “The initial experience was eye-opening as I learned about the tremendous influence of traditional cooking methods on health, the environment, and the financial pressures encountered by low-income households,” she adds.
Logistics posed a challenge in distributing products to remote communities. “Developing ties with local groups and community leaders is critical in overcoming these logistical challenges. On the plus side, the feedback from early adopters has been extremely promising,” she says.
“The prices for energy-efficient modern cooking products vary depending on the type and features of the product. The biomass cook stoves average between Sh 2,500 and Sh 4,000,” she says.
Ms. Otieno’s perseverance has been crucial for success. Her dream is to continuously enhance and reinvent her product offerings to meet evolving needs, incorporating new technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) for better monitoring and performance.
“We regularly communicate with stakeholders to gain input, improve our plans, and ensure that our products and services meet the highest quality and reliability requirements,” she adds.
Awuor Dorothy Otieno’s clean cooking solutions not only improve health and economic well-being but also make a significant impact on climate change by reducing deforestation and carbon emissions.
