Boosting Women’s Economic Empowerment and Leadership through Clean Cooking in Tanzania

In Puma Village, located in the Ikungi District of Singida in central Tanzania, women’s daily life has taken on a new turn. Where afternoons were once spent in smoke-filled kitchens or walking long distances to collect firewood, today, many women start their mornings with renewed purpose, running small businesses, taking leadership roles, and inspiring others to embrace cleaner, more sustainable livelihoods.

“In the past, women stayed at home and had no voice. In many households, they were full-time caregivers. But that has changed,” says Martha Andrea Irunde, a 46-year-old mother of five and Chairperson of the Women’s Council in Ikungi District. “Today, women are standing tall, confident in speaking for themselves and leading others.”

From Firewood to Financial Freedom - How Clean Energy Access is Contributing to Women’s Economic Empowerment

Since 2022, UN Women, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the World Food Programme (WFP), has been implementing the Joint Programme on Accelerating Progress Towards Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment (JP RWEE), supported by the governments of Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland.

In Tanzania, the programme is active in Singida, Dodoma, and Zanzibar, focusing on expanding rural women’s access to resources, markets, leadership opportunities, and climate-resilient livelihoods.

From 2024-2025, Martha participated in a series of capacity-building trainings under JP RWEE, focusing on leadership, entrepreneurship, and clean energy solutions. The training introduced women to different clean-cooking technologies; induction, gas, and fuel-efficient stoves, and made them accessible at half the market price. Inspired by the demand for clean cooking solutions, she launched her own business distributing clean stoves across Ikungi and beyond.

“After the training, I saw how well were received by families in our community. I decided to start my own business selling them,” Martha recalls. “I connected with the project’s suppliers and began distributing stoves across Ikungi, and even beyond Singida Region,” she says.

Before clean cooking solutions reached Puma Village, nearly every household relied on firewood, with women spending up to one-third of their day collecting it. By 2024, over 450 rural households across Singida, Dodoma, and South Unguja had adopted clean cooking solutions through JP RWEE, and 114 women directly benefited from stove access and training, cutting their fuel use by over 50%, reducing smoke emissions, and freeing up valuable time for women to engage in productive work and community leadership.

Many, like Martha, went on to become clean energy entrepreneurs and community advocates.

Redefining Women’s Leadership and Care Work

Beyond easing women’s workloads, clean cooking is driving broader shifts in household dynamics. With efficient stoves saving time and energy, men are increasingly sharing domestic responsibilities, leading to more equitable homes.

“Even husbands are comfortable helping in the kitchen now,” Martha laughs. “When cooking takes less time, there’s more cooperation at home.”

The project has also supported the establishment of childcare centers, giving women freedom to engage in leadership and business without the burden of unpaid care work.

The results are already visible across Ikungi. As women gain more time and confidence through shared care responsibilities, they are increasingly stepping into public life, contesting for local elections, taking on leadership roles, and influencing decisions that shape their communities. In the 2024 local government elections, 15 women were elected as village/street chairpersons vs. only 8 women in 2019. Women’s representation as hamlet chairpersons more than doubled, with 186 elected in 2024 vs. 82 in 2019.

“After my leadership training, I encouraged other women to get involved,” Martha proudly shares. “Many contested in the last local government elections and won. We saw women rise with confidence. That’s real change.”

Building a Future Powered by Clean Energy

Singida remains a key project location for JP RWEE, showing strong progress in advancing gender equality. Women’s participation in household decision-making has reached 94%, while off-farm incomes have increased by 33.7%, reflecting meaningful strides in economic empowerment and social transformation.

With profits from selling clean cookstoves, Martha also launched a poultry business that now sustains her family. The ripple effects are visible across Puma Village, and as women’s economic independence grows, so does their influence in transforming discriminatory social norms from the family level.

“Change begins at home,” she says. “I’ve taught my sons to help their sisters with chores. That’s how we build appreciation and shared responsibility.”

Beyond being a time-saving and environmentally friendly solution, clean energy is emerging as a powerful springboard for women’s leadership, financial independence, and gender equality.

The clean energy initiative aligns with Tanzania’s National Clean Cooking Strategy, which aims to ensure 80% of the population adopts clean cooking solutions by 2034. Ikungi District Council has already taken steps by integrating clean cooking into its Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Strategic Plan (2025–2026), showing strong local ownership and commitment to sustainable development.