14 Days to Zero Smoke: How We Transitioned Two Schools to Clean Cooking in Record Time (Part 2)

By Joseph Kariuki, Research Associate, Gamos East Africa

In the first part of the blog, we established the rigorous framework required to achieve a rapid, high-impact transition for Nyakichiwa and Tarakwet Primary Schools in Bomet to clean cooking. We started our journey with in-depth energy audits that went beyond standard models to consider the growing number of students, and the high energy needs of traditional dishes that take a while to prepare, like githeri (a mix of maize and beans). We went into detail about how to use hybrid systems strategically, combining solar electric cooking with forced-draft biomass backup. The goal was to make sure that cooking was never interrupted and that firewood was never used again. Before, parents and students had to source it, which was a lot of work.

The prospect of transitioning two schools within a two-week timeframe appeared to be merely a theoretical plan. But the real test of turning that plan into a functioning clean cooking kitchen hinged on some key factors: one was the remarkable efficiency of the manufacturing partners, and two, the steadfast commitment of the local community.

The 14-day deadline was challenging, but Ecobora and Burn Manufacturing met the challenge by working at an incredible speed to fabricate, deliver, install, and commission the clean cooking technologies for use. These companies were the driving force behind the shift, and the community was the power source. Their backing wasn’t just a given; it was what made it possible to overcome the logistical challenges of such a quick turnaround.

As any engineer will tell you, the real challenge begins the moment you step into the kitchen to implement the plans you have in drawings. To truly break the cycle of firewood dependency, we couldn’t simply drop in new stoves and leave. We had to rethink the entire environment. In this second half of our series, I am sharing how we turned the kitchen renovation plans we had into reality: from the moment the structural renovations began to the moment the solar powerhouse was switched on.

We are diving into the “Engineering of the Environment,” the massive solar infrastructure at Nyakichiwa, and the heartwarming way the community has embraced a healthier, smoke-free future.

Engineering the Environment: Kitchen Readiness

Traditional kitchens, often makeshift structures of corrugated iron or repurposed old classrooms, were designed for open fires rather than modern technology. To accommodate two 300L Ecobora cookstoves and one 200L Burn cookstove, we resolved to strengthen the infrastructure.

Despite starting with a new kitchen, significant work was required to modernize the space:

• Structural Overhaul: We removed central walls to expand the workspace and widened doors to allow for industrial-scale equipment. Old chimneys, initially essential for smoke, were decommissioned. New countertops were built for food preparation, and fresh electrical work was installed for proper lighting.

• Plumbing & Sanitation: We eliminated the jerrycan trek—a 100-meter walk cooks previously took to fetch water—by installing direct plumbing to the kitchen, where water is now fed directly into the stoves with additional grease traps and soak pits for drainage. This saves hours of manual labor, ensures efficiency in operations, and significantly improves hygiene since cleaning the kitchen is easy.
• Safety & Aesthetics: To prevent tampering and ensure safety in a high-heat environment, all electrical wiring was embedded into the walls. High-value inverters and batteries were secured behind custom steel grills, restricting access to essential personnel only. This level of protection is critical as the kitchen remains in a high-traffic area, with multiple people often working within the same space simultaneously.

Over the past year, we have observed that a successful energy transition requires more than just new equipment; it requires complete modernization of the kitchen environment. A modern school kitchen must be an integrated workspace featuring easily accessible water, professional-grade electrical work, and a spacious layout to prevent operational accidents. Having the renovation team collaborate directly with the cookstove manufacturers improved the ease of co-designing a custom kitchen that supports modern technology perfectly.

At Nyakichiwa Primary, this meant designing a cookstove platform with spacing to allow for fluid movement while stirring during large-scale meal preparations and aligning ergonomic heights, reducing physical strain on the staff. Due to the complex nature of the renovations across the two schools simultaneously, rigorous monitoring and constant on-site supervision were maintained to adhere to a strict schedule. This achievement required significant dedication, with teams often working late into the night to meet the 10-day renovation deadline. This meant significant dedication was necessary to deliver without compromising on quality or safety.

Experience the transformation firsthand and watch the step-by-step transition of the Nyakichiwa & Tarakwet Primary Schools kitchens through these video highlights:

Nyakichiwa Primary Renovation Highlights

Tarakwet Primary Renovation Highlights

Powering the Future: The Solar Infrastructure

The technical heart of Nyakichiwa’s system is a powerhouse designed for scale:

• 40 Solar Panels (620W each)
• 10 Batteries (5.12 kWh each, totaling 51.2 kWh of storage)
• 3 x 10 kVA Inverters

This setup powers two 9kW-rated stoves, with battery storage capable of sustaining 2.5 hours of peak cooking. For this school, this equates to two days of battery autonomy. While currently oversized for Nyakichiwa, the excess capacity allows the school to function as a centralized kitchen hub in the near future used to feed 1200 students each day from neighboring schools, maximizing the impact of the investment.

After the physical installation, a rigorous process of testing and commissioning was done to guarantee the operational efficiency of the new cooking systems followed by an intensive training phase for the cooks, which continued following the launch. The extended training and upskilling sessions ensured kitchen staff fully grasped the technical nuances of the new systems, from maximizing cooking efficiency to performing the daily maintenance required to keep the equipment in peak condition.

Beyond the Technology: Nutrition and Community

This significant transition went beyond the new cooking technology to the plate. The Rockefeller team worked with cooks and teachers to introduce “free” nutritional boosters like pumpkins and pumpkin leaves to githeri, greens that previously were discarded or fed to livestock. To see the community realize that the same greens they overlooked could significantly improve their children’s health was a turning point. On an even brighter note, instead of students arriving with firewood to school, they now bring fresh greens from their home farms to be added to the githeri. This shift has turned a previous burden into a source of shared nourishment.

In just two weeks, the landscape of institutional kitchens in Bomet County changed. The era of soot, smoke, and the “firewood tax” is over for Nyakichiwa and Tarakwet Primary Schools, replaced by modern, sustainable facilities that feed both the body and the mind.

Moving Beyond the “High-Profile” Pilot

While this transition was rapid, we recognize that mass adoption across Kenya requires more than just a successful pilot; it requires a shift in how we approach the economics of clean cooking. Drawing on the lessons from Bomet, we are refining a blueprint that focuses on three scalable pillars:

• Pre-Engineering the Environment: To avoid the high costs of renovation to the kitchen when transitioning to clean cooking, such as breaking down walls or widening doors, the Rockefeller Foundation is developing a “Modern Kitchen Blueprint.” By building kitchens to these spacious, tech-ready specifications from the start, schools can eliminate the renovation cost entirely when they are ready to transition.
•  Social Capital over Bureaucracy: This project demonstrated that a community’s full backing—parents, students, and local leaders—reduces logistical and bureaucratic hurdles during a transition. When manufacturers like Ecobora and Burn Manufacturing align their timelines with a motivated community, transitions that usually take months can be completed in less than 14 days.
•  The “Fuel-to-Finance” Pivot: While the upfront cost of institutional solar- Electric systems is significant; this project demonstrates a path to financial autonomy. By shifting funds previously spent on firewood toward a structured repayment model, schools can “pay as they cook.” Furthermore, by utilizing the excess capacity of systems like Nyakichiwa’s to serve as a “centralized kitchen hub” for neighboring schools, we drastically lower the cost-per-meal through economies of scale. Schools also get back their return on investment rather quickly, making the transition to clean cooking, something that is financially beneficial to the school.

A Proven, Scalable Future

Through years of hands-on work, the MECS Kenya team has demonstrated the swift, effective, and uncompromising nature of school cooking transitions. Success comes down to a few key elements. First, the need to put what we’ve learned so far into practice. Second, we must cultivate solid relationships with all stakeholders. Finally, an unwavering focus on the goal to fully transition institutions to clean cooking is essential.
 It’s become something bigger than just a single project. This is a concept that works and can be built upon, poised for the future.

Vote of Thanks

• The Rockefeller Foundation for funding this kitchen transition. Check out their post here.
• Legacy Plus for managing the school feeding program and building new kitchens in Bomet.
• Beast Philanthropy for their support of these programs. Catch their episode featuring the Nyakichiwa Primary School kitchen transformation on YouTube. “I Built 10 Schools Around The World”
• Ecobora & Burn Manufacturing for the clean cooking technologies and quick installations.
• Contec Solutions for the timely kitchen renovations.
• Mediaq Production for documentation of the kitchen transition. See their page here.
• The schools and the community for offering us unwavering support.

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Featured Image: The President of the Rockefeller Foundation, Dr. Rajiv Shah, helping serve students during the official launch event at Nyakichiwa Primary School. Photo Credit: Ezra David – Mediaq Production.