KAKAMEGA, Kenya – On the outskirts of Kakamega town in Western Kenya sits the ECO2LIBRIUM (Eco2), a fast-rising company that applies business solutions to social and environmental problems.
Engaged primarily in energy and forestry, Eco2 is developing and distributing cookstoves and renewable-energy production.
Eco2 has created thousands of jobs in an area with staggering unemployment rates. Additionally, it offers employees a chance to become business owners in a region where that concept is rare.
The private company has developed out of a recognition that “it is hard to save the forest on an empty stomach,” meaning Eco2 is focused on climate justice—which for the company means creating profitable, sustainable business and employment opportunities led and performed by Kenyans to achieve improved conservation.
One of the beneficiaries of this company is the Keyo Women Producer Group in the neighbouring Kisumu County.
What we know about Keyo Women Producer Group
Janet Odeny, a member of the Keyo Women Producer Group, told Y News that the group, founded in 1984, is the premiere stove producer in the region.
By purchasing Upesi cookstoves from the group, Eco2 is vital in fostering economic, social, and environmental benefits, contributing to a more sustainable and equitable future for the community.
“At the start, we had three components: pottery and tree nursery. However, we settled on pottery because it was a single opponent with readily available raw materials. For instance, we have access to clay and water for our products,” Odeny said.
In one year, Odeny disclosed that the group based in Kisumu West Sub-County supplies Eco with at least 10,000 pieces of jikos.
“This project has helped us a lot through Eco because we have been able to educate our children and improve our homesteads by building new houses. All I can say is that as members, we have seen a big change through this project,” Odeny told Y News.
How Eco2 has supported the Keyo Women Producer Group
According to Odeny, through the project, they have been able to help conserve the environment compared to the three stone jikos that consume a lot of firewood.
“We can only use two sticks of firewood to prepare breakfast and lunch. These jikos enhance the kitchen to be very clean, and even they can’t harm our young children who come closer to them,” she added.
Florence Omira, another group member, told Y News that she joined the group in 2016 and has been doing this since then.
“I am happy with whatever I am doing. We want to appeal to Eco2 to continue supporting women in rural Kenya so that they can continue supporting their livelihoods,” explained Omira.
Meanwhile, Odeny revealed that the group members execute their projects as individuals.
“Each of us is doing our projects personally, but after selling the jikos, a certain percentage goes to the group. We have ten women and six men as causal workers,” Odeny stated.
She revealed they still have new members because the group’s continuity needs concerted efforts.
“We have incorporated our daughters-in-law to join us so that they can take over from us and produce more jokes after we leave,” Oden said.
What are some of the challenges Keyo Women Producer Group face
However, she lamented that they incur many breakages during the drought.
“This is because, at that time, there was a lot of hot air. Hot air makes the pots dry up so quickly that they crack while drying,” Odeny added.
Odeny also observed that firewood had become extremely expensive.
“So, we need to improve our jikos to stand out. We sometimes hire people to work for us, only for them to disappear after some time. We keep following them, so we only pay them according to their workload,” explained Odeny.
Y News understands Ec02’s commitment to embracing purpose and profit has gained global recognition.
Since 2017, the company has been honoured among world companies as Best for the World and invited to participate in the World Forum for a Responsible Economy.
According to the company, this honour is based on contributions to battling climate change, providing products that improve lives, creating jobs for underserved people, and conserving tropical forests.
“Through Eco2, we are now business ladies. We have clay from the riverbanks; the other is from the workshop, and the rest is drying up. So, if you plan your work well, you will likely make much money from the venture,” Odeny explained.
Odeny advised the youth to avoid venturing into colour jobs and consider taking casual jobs like pottery.
What is Keyo Women Producer Group’s advice to Kenyan youth
“Also, our fellow women should start embracing manual jobs, and they will be assured of great returns despite being casual workers. I enjoy doing this work because I have been doing it for a long time. We thank Eco because they take our products in bulk. They motivate us a lot and keep us going in life,” Odeny explained.
In June 2023, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) announced plans to collaborate with Eco2 in restoring Kakamega Tropical Rainforest through the Carbon Accelerator Grant from Terraformation.
This was to be done through the grant that the two institutions applied for in 2022, where MMUST applied through a lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences, Dr Humphrey Agevi.
Since the two institutions applied to support the same ecosystem, the Terraformation organisation agreed to work together, courtesy of their existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
