Ecobora, a pioneering cleantech startup, unveiled its award-winning solar-powered institutional boiler at Kenya Innovation Week 2024.
The revolutionary clean cooking solution has transformed energy usage in schools, enabling cost savings, improved education, and environmental sustainability across the country.
The highlight of the event was Ecobora’s showcase at the Transform exhibition booth, where the team had the privilege of demonstrating their technology to President William Samoei Ruto.
The President hailed the innovation as a “powerful innovation that will make school feeding programs run more efficiently in Kenya.”
Driving Impact with Solar-Powered Solutions
Founded by Mr. Justine Abuga, Ecobora has made remarkable strides in addressing energy poverty and environmental degradation.
Under his leadership, the company has achieved the following milestones:
- 85,000 students now access school meals daily, reducing dropout rates by 75%.
- Schools save an average of $9,000 annually, funds redirected to build 6 libraries and 13 computer labs, further enhancing educational outcomes.
- 300,000 tons of trees have been spared from deforestation, resulting in massive CO2 savings of 30 tons per school annually.
- Over 30 jobs have been created, particularly empowering women and youth in marginalized communities.
“Ecobora was founded with a vision to uplift communities through sustainable energy solutions,” said Mr Abuga, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). “Our solar-powered cooking boilers are not just reducing energy costs; they are reshaping lives by improving education, health, and environmental outcomes for marginalized schools and communities.”
Revolutionizing Energy in Marginalized Communities
Ecobora’s solar-powered cooking boilers address a pressing issue in rural schools that traditionally rely on firewood, a costly and harmful energy source.
These solutions eliminate harmful smoke, conserve Kenya’s forests, and provide an affordable, pay-as-you-go model for schools living below $2 a day.
The impact has been transformative:
- Carbon credits generated from the solution are reinvested into underserved markets, accelerating the adoption of clean cooking technologies.
- Rural schools now save 100% of their cooking costs, funds that are redirected to improve education and healthcare for children.
Opportunities for Partnership
Ecobora is actively seeking partnerships to scale its operations across Sub-Saharan Africa.
With a strong engineering and sales team and a deep understanding of local markets, the company is well-positioned to collaborate with organizations focused on sustainability and clean energy adoption.
Ecobora recently also welcomed representatives from the African Centre for Economic Transformation and Rural Development (ACERD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Hamerkop Climate Impacts to showcase its innovative institutional solar-powered cookstoves.
The visit highlighted Ecobora’s commitment to sustainability and its impactful clean energy solutions for institutions.
“This engagement strengthens partnerships and sets the stage for potential collaboration to scale these solutions to the Democratic Republic of Congo, further advancing community impact. Ecobora looks forward to continued collaboration in driving sustainable energy adoption across Africa,” noted Mr Abuga.