Implemented in remote rural regions of Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Kenya, the Rural Women Cultivating Change (RWCC) project is shifting the cultural attitudes, systems and structures that limit the potential of young and adult rural women smallholder farmers, particularly female heads of households, and survivors of gender-based violence.

In Kenya, Rural Women Cultivating Change project is implemented in partnership with Grass Roots Organizations Together in Sisterhood (GROOTS), HIVOS East Africa (HIVOS), and Seed Savers Network Kenya (SSN). GROOTS, SSN and HIVOS are working together with their experience in leadership and mentorship programs to build on women’s sense of agency, increase women’s confidence through peer support and provide opportunities for women to undertake leadership roles.

Current project activities promote local knowledge-sharing opportunities between partners and community participants and prioritize collaborations with local women’s groups or groups where women have or need to have leadership positions. The partners in Kenya are addressing the underlying harmful social norms, attitudinal and societal barriers, and heightened care responsibilities that prevent women from fully participating in development activities. The teams are working together to advocate for the enforcement of social protection laws and policies that prevent SGBV.

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The main objective of this project is to mainstream cooking policy frameworks and advocate for increased budget allocation for implementation of clean cooking programs. The long term goal of the project is to contribute to improved service provision by government and private sector through inclusive policies and budgets and to facilitate an enabling environment for increased adoption of clean cook stores and fuels in Kenya .

Partner - SNV (Netherlands Development Organization)

Beneficiaries -Kitui, Kilifi and Kiambu Counties.

GROOTS Kenya with support from SNV is implementing the Voices for Change Programme that aims at strengthening capacities of CSOs to advocate for an enabling environment in Renewable Energy. The focus is to facilitate an enabling environment for increased adoption of clean Cook Stoves and Fuels in Kenya starting with Kitui County.  GROOTS Kenya is helping relevant County Governments to mainstream clean cooking in County policy frameworks, and are advocating for increased budget allocation for implementation of clean cooking programs. Clean cooking champions have been identified in the 40 wards of Kitui to lobby policy makers to achieve the project goal. Additionally, the champions are also taking lead advocating for the adoption of clean cooking technologies among fellow community members either by constructing the clean cook stoves for them or by linking them to other institutions who can facilitate the construction or purchase of clean cook stoves.

So far, GROOTS Kenya has engaged in initial dialogues with officials from the County Government Department of Environment and Energy to pave way for further discussions on mainstreaming clean cooking technologies.