Project Overview (Ghana)

Clean Cooking in Ghana 

In Ghana, about 24% of the population lives below the international poverty line of $2.15 per day, with many households relying on traditional biomass fuels such as firewood and charcoal for cooking. Around 70% of Ghanaian households still use these polluting fuels, which pose serious health risks and economic burdens. 

Indoor air pollution from inefficient stoves contributes to respiratory illnesses and is linked to thousands of premature deaths annually, particularly among women and children who spend the most time near the cooking fire. Widespread harvesting of wood for charcoal and firewood is driving deforestation, threatening Ghana’s vital forest ecosystems. 

Ghana’s forests, including the Bia Conservation Area, Kakum National Park, and Mole National Park, provide critical biodiversity, carbon storage, and support local livelihoods. However, these forests face increasing pressure from unsustainable fuelwood harvesting, putting their ecological health and the communities that depend on them at risk. 

Our Impact with the Jikokoa Stove 

BURN’s Jikokoa stove is helping Ghanaian families cook cleaner and reduce forest loss by: 

• Reducing charcoal and firewood use  
• Cutting smoke emissions  
• Helping households save  
• Lowering demand on vulnerable forest ecosystems 

Cleaner air and lower fuel costs free up time and resources for education, work, and family care, especially benefiting women. By scaling clean cooking, we protect Ghana’s forests, improve public health, and generate verified carbon reductions.