Every morning in many Kenyan schools, cooks once laboured over smoky firewood stoves, splitting logs in the dark and dealing with choking fumes that would stain their lungs and the walls. But a change is underway—one transforming kitchens, classrooms, and even playground ecosystems.

KCB Bank’s Green Financing Solutions has launched an inspiring initiative that helps schools transition from reliance on firewood and charcoal to clean energy solutions, such as LPG and solar power. The aim is simple: reduce costs, improve health, preserve forests, and bring sustainability into the daily rhythm of school life.

The scale is striking. Kenyan schools burn over 685,000 tonnes of firewood and charcoal annually—a significant contributor to deforestation, high food costs, and respiratory illnesses among kitchen staff. To counter this, KCB provides grants covering 10–30% of the cost of installing Liquefied Petroleum Gas systems, while financing the remainder through loans. This pilot saw 30 schools receive support—totalling Ksh 30 million in grants and Ksh 60 million in loans—with plans to scale across the country.

The impact at Katwanyaa High School in Machakos County is tangible. Principal David Muange, overseeing nearly 1,000 students, shared how LPG cut cooking costs from around Ksh 700,000 to Ksh 420,000 per term—a 40% saving. His words resonate: “With LPG, their expenses were reduced… Moreover, the absence of smoke during cooking has made the process easier for the cooks, resulting in better student meals.” Cooks were reduced from six to four, and space once used for firewood storage was repurposed.

Elsewhere, at Sinaga Girls and St Pius Got Matar Secondary in Siaya County, head cooks and students are witnesses to the transformation. “We are now cooking faster and in a cleaner space,” says Christine Atieno, the head cook at Sinaga Girls. Deputy Principal Jane Nyabera notes how LPG replaced the smoke-filled heat of kitchens, enabling an extra stove where firewood used to be stored. At Got Matar, Nicholas Otieno echoes the relief: “As kitchen staff, we now enjoy our work compared to the days when we depended on firewood. The ambience… used to be very hot… Today, it’s relatively cool and clean.”

Beyond kitchen upgrades, KCB has turned its attention skyward—into solar power. In collaboration with Sentimental Energy, the bank offers collateral-free green loans at 9.75% interest over seven years, with financing of up to Sh20 million for public schools (and Sh10 million for private schools). Eric Naivasha, KCB’s Head of Sustainable Finance, explains: “By fully financing the installation of solar systems, we’re enabling schools to transition to sustainable energy without the burden of upfront capital.”

From Sentimental Energy’s side, Managing Director Paul Simiyu emphasises the strategic value: “The education sector’s reliance on consistent electricity makes solar a strategic solution… institutions can meet up to 75 percent of their energy needs while lowering their dependence on the national grid.”

This solar pilot has already helped nine schools, delivering resilience against erratic grid supply, enabling digital learning, comfortable boarding, and reduced electricity bills. And more schools are now lining up.

The initiative is deeply rooted in KCB’s broader “Linda Miti” (Protect Trees) campaign, through which the bank has already planted over 160,000 trees in 943 schools. By reducing firewood use and greening school grounds, the program is delivering holistic environmental and educational gains.

What might feel modest—a smoke-free kitchen, stable lights, new saplings—actually signals a profound shift. In the words of environmental advocate Ibrahim Oyoo, “This is clean energy that not only conserves our forest cover but also improves the health of the kitchen staff in our institutions.”

At Big3Africa, we believe the Clean Energy for Schools story isn’t just about cleaner energy—it’s about empowering a generation, reducing costs, healing lungs and landscapes, and planting seeds for a more sustainable Africa. When schools, communities, and financial institutions align for green solutions, classrooms become the frontline in the fight for climate action.