YEFL Ghana, in partnership with Oxfam, has distributed 200 energy-efficient cookstoves to rural women in Northern Ghana as part of efforts to curb rapid deforestation and promote clean, affordable household energy.
The initiative, funded under the DANIDA Strategic Partnership 2 Programme, focuses on communities where heavy reliance on firewood and charcoal has contributed significantly to tree loss.
One hundred cookstoves were distributed in Buipe on Wednesday, following an earlier distribution of another 100 in Wulugu. In total, beneficiaries received 50 firewood-efficient cookstoves and 150 charcoal-efficient models designed to reduce fuel consumption and improve indoor air quality.
The modern stoves conserve up to 80 percent more heat, shorten cooking time, and minimise harmful smoke emissions, reducing women’s exposure to black carbon linked to respiratory illnesses.
Emmanuel Ndukwe, DANIDA SP II Project Lead at YEFL Ghana, said the intervention seeks to reduce pressure on local forests while promoting cleaner cooking technologies.
He added that the effort complements ongoing advocacy for reduced LPG prices and improved access to LPG sales outlets in rural communities.
As part of the broader climate resilience agenda, 40 young people from the two beneficiary communities have been trained as Youth Environmental Brigades to lead climate education, support behavioural change campaigns, and champion youth-led environmental action.
YEFL Ghana says it remains committed to fighting deforestation and improving the health and economic wellbeing of women across rural Ghana.
Some beneficiaries, including the Assembly Member for Yapei, expressed appreciation for the initiative, noting that the cookstoves will significantly reduce charcoal burning in the area.
By: Alhassan D Baba | Metrotvonine.com | Ghana
