Eni kicks off today the distribution of improved cookstoves to families in Rwanda, starting from the Nyagatare district. The initiative has the target to supply and monitor 500,000 improved cookstoves during the next 10 years to reduce CO2 emissions and improve health conditions while cooking.
The project, developed with the support of Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and designed in cooperation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Rwanda Environmental Management Agency, provides an efficient alternative solution to the communities still relying on traditional cooking means, reducing the pression on forests and the indoor emissions that are still a cause of respiratory diseases, eye problems, and domestic accident risks. The time saved in cooking by using improved cookstoves can be employed for other social and economic activities.
The initial phase will be focused on Nyagatare district and will be implemented in partnership with Rwanda Women’s Network (RWN). The NGO will contribute with its broad experience in implementing similar projects, with a focus on improving women’s socio-economic welfare, while Eni will bring its expertise in managing such initiatives aimed at delivering a just transition that combines both environmental and social sustainability.
This is one of the many initiatives developed by Eni in the country following the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Government in April 2022 to support the country’s energy transition with a wide range of activities. It includes the implementation of agribusiness, health, forestry, and technology initiatives, in cooperation with its partners; among them, the National Industrial Research and Development Agency, the Rwanda Development Board, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, and the Ministry of ICT and Innovation.
