LOWAKI ECO-SOLUTIONS LIMITED

We are inspired by the Kenya National Cooking Transition Strategy, a comprehensive plan that goes beyond just increasing cookstove sales. Having spent the last five months working closely with rural communities, we LOWAKI ECO-SOLUTIONS LIMITED resonate deeply with the insights shared. The strategy recognizes that of the 9.1 million households in Kenya, 7.4 million are in rural areas, relying on traditional cooking fuels (KNBS & ICF, 2022). This aligns with our belief that we must meet these communities where they are. Affordability and willingness to pay remain key challenges, which is why we've partnered with financial institutions like SACCOs to offer clean stoves at low-interest rates, making them accessible to everyone. Next week, as Clean Cooking Week is marked in Kajiado by many players, we look forward to seeing continued efforts to support rural community transitions to clean cooking. We believe in meeting communities where they are, rather than pushing products on them. Kudos to the Ministry of Energy & Petroleum and all partners involved in this thoughtful 2024-2028 strategy! EED Advisory Ministry of Energy Loughborough University Green Climate Fund Agence Française de Développement Energising Development (EnDev) Gamos East Africa Amica Savings & Credit ( Amica Sacco) Rainforest Alliance Fairtrade Africa

Meet Joy, the Woman Feeding residents of Muthiithi, Muranga County. This week, while out in the field with our partners Amica Savings & Credit ( Amica Sacco) we met Joy—a remarkable entrepreneur at Muthiithi Market. Joy runs a thriving cereal shop, selling both dry and boiled cereals. In rural Kenya, githeri—a beloved dish made from maize and beans—remains a household favorite. The preparation, however, can be long and tedious, requiring hours of boiling over firewood. With firewood being the most affordable fuel in this part of Muranga County , many families opt to buy pre-boiled cereals, and that’s where Joy comes in. Joy’s business is booming. Her pre-boiled githeri and njahi (black beans) are in such high demand that she struggles to meet customer needs. Despite her success, Joy faces a major challenge: fuel costs. Every month, she spends over Ksh 30,000 on firewood alone! The financial strain of fuel, coupled with the difficulty of storing bulky firewood in her small shop, is weighing down her business. To make matters worse, Joy also faces the dangers of household air pollution. Her shop is often filled with smoke due to poor ventilation, creating a hazardous working environment that not only affects her health but also limits the comfort of her workspace. Joy asked us if we could find a more efficient stove that would help reduce her fuel costs and minimize the harmful smoke that fills her shop. And we knew exactly what to recommend. We’re excited to support Joy in her journey toward adopting cleaner, more efficient energy for her business, so she can continue feeding her community while cooking affordably, efficiently, and safely—without compromising her health. Stay tuned for the transformation! Lorraine ( LOLAINE) Kirigia Anne Muhia ( CPA K ) #cleancooking #cleanenergy

Navigating the Unknown as a Start-up: Lessons from Lowaki Eco-Solutions As a startup entering a field we were unfamiliar with, we’ve been learning as we go. Initially, our strategy was to align with established players in the market, hoping to learn and grow through their networks. Naively, we assumed that as aggregators, partners would be eager to collaborate. It didn’t take long to realize that fitting into someone else’s agenda wasn’t going to help us achieve our mission. After months of running in circles, we made the difficult decision to pivot—directly engaging with the communities we set out to serve, no matter the cost. While this approach seemed risky, the past five months have proven it was the right choice. The growth, insights, and unexpected partnerships we've gained from being on the ground have been invaluable. To every start-up out there: stay true to your mission, no matter how challenging the journey. Don’t compromise by fitting into someone else’s vision—your success lies in carving out your own path. We wish you all success and resilience!

Happy International Day of Rural Women! Here's to the trailblazers who make it happen, one community at a time! We salute you!

Happy International Day Of the Rural Women!

We celebrate the many women groups we continue to interact with!

continuation on chamas......

Sharing the lessons we continue to learn through our work with the communities.

Customer-Centric: A Lesson in Humility At Lowaki Eco Solutions, customer-centric means putting the needs and realities of our rural communities at the heart of everything we do. It’s not just about offering cookstoves—it’s about designing solutions that fit their lifestyle, resources, and preferences. In our work with rural communities, we’ve learned that success comes from designing products that fit their needs, not just what makes sense from a business perspective. A recent surprise is when one group bought a number of electric pressure cookers which clearly demonstrated to us that their readiness for new technologies can go beyond our expectations. Being customer-centric means adapting, listening, and ensuring that our solutions genuinely improve lives, creating lasting impact. We’re learning and growing every day, with their needs guiding our work. #CustomerCentric #SustainableImpact #RuralCommunities #Innovation #LowakiEcoSolutions

Bridging Boardroom Discussions and Rural Realities: Partnerships that Drive Change This week has been nothing short of humbling, as we reflect on the incredible lessons learned in our journey as a new startup. As we continue promoting clean cooking solutions, we are reminded that success lies not only in being customer-centric but also in the strength of our partnerships. In the boardroom, discussions around clean energy solutions can be rich with strategy and innovation. But stepping into rural communities, where the real impact happens, tells a different story. The partnerships that go beyond the boardroom, with organizations that are present on the ground, are where true transformation begins. At Lowaki Eco Solutions, we work alongside partners who, like us, understand the value of working closely with the communities we serve. Our role as an aggregator in clean cooking solutions and clean energy services means we are not just about delivering products—we're building a network that fosters long-term sustainability. For organizations, embracing partnerships with us goes beyond ticking the boxes of clean energy or distribution. It’s about embedding sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals into their core operations. Together, we not only help transform rural lives, but we also create meaningful impact that supports their sustainability commitments. Through our collaboration, partners benefit from improved social impact, cleaner air, better health outcomes, and contributing to the global fight against climate change—all while aligning with their own ESG objectives. The more we collaborate on the ground, the closer we get to bridging the gap between boardroom discussions and rural realities. Amica Savings & Credit ( Amica Sacco) Fortune Sacco Society Ltd Rainforest Alliance Fairtrade Africa Fairtrade International EED Advisory Clean Cooking Association of Kenya (CCAK) BioLite Tefal #Sustainability #ESG #CleanEnergy #RuralCommunities #PartnershipsForImpact #LowakiEcoSolutions