Improved cookstoves in Burundi: Emmanuel moulds a better livelihood
Emmanuel Ndayizigiye’s most prized possession isn’t a motorcycle or money—it’s a cow that he named Ya EnDev. For Joël, the cow is more than livestock; it symbolizes how far he and his community have come. Once unsure how to feed his family, he now earns income from multiple sources: pig farming, land cultivation—and producing improved cookstoves (ICS).
As a member of the Batwa, Burundi’s historically marginalised Indigenous community, Emmanuel Ndayizigiye * (name changed to protect identity) grew up learning the traditional craft of clay pottery. But the demand for handmade pots declined as cheaper tin alternatives took over. “Ten pots were worth three kilograms of beans,” he says. “It was hard for us to feed our families.”
Without steady income, access to healthcare and education remained out of reach. Emmanuel also felt the sting of social discrimination that has followed the Batwa for generations, with many people not accepting them as fellow citizens.
Old skills for new opportunities
In 2020, Emmanuel’s life began to change when he and 11 others formed the Kazoza mu bacu cooperative. With support from EnDev, through its lead implementer AVSI Foundation, the cooperative received training and technical assistance to repurpose the members’ clay-working skills to make improved cookstoves. “The Batwa are good at making improved cookstoves because they know how to work with clay,” Emmanuel explains.
Their new stove model, the BIIKIGITI, uses less charcoal, produces less smoke, and lasts longer than traditional stoves. The cooperative quickly found success, and with more money coming in, Emmanuel and his co-members were able to invest and diversify their income.
EnDev’s impact in Burundi since 2021
- 70 production workshops and 530 stove sellers supported
- 62,500 improved cookstoves sustainably disseminated
- Over 197,000 people reached
Beyond income to better living
Emmanuel is one of almost 400 individuals in 22 cooperatives from the Batwa community who EnDev supported with technical assistance, tools, equipment, and marketing. But EnDev recognised that the challenges that the Batwa face go beyond income. The project also supported access to financial services, healthcare, and education, while encouraging new income sources. Thanks to savings from stove sales, members of the Kazoza mu bacu cooperative now raise pigs and rent farmland— which they had previously struggled to access. Once marginalised, the Batwa are becoming more accepted in society. “You can see it in the happy faces of the members,” Emmanuel says.
Emmanuel’s journey reflects something larger: With the AVSI Foundation as its main implementer in Burundi, EnDev has reached over 197,000 people with improved cookstoves—driving Burundi’s shift towards cleaner cooking.
