More about cookstoves
Traditional open fire cooking requires significant amounts of wood which contributes to land clearing and rapid deforestation. Cookstoves are very effective in reducing the amount of wood required for cooking, thereby reducing the pressure on natural growth and forests. The Chichewan name Changu Changu Moto translates to “Fast Fast Fire”, and reflects one of the main benefits of the improved cook stove in reducing cooking time and saving wood fuel.
Projectphotos
Project information
The Changu Changu Moto is a low cost, high efficiency biomass fired cook stove developed through extensive trials with local communities and is specifically designed for local Malawian conditions. The stove is constructed from locally available materials and does not require specialist construction skills or equipment. The stove design is a brick rocket stove, constructed using 26 mud bricks and a mud mortar mix.
The Changu Changu Moto cook stoves feature an insulated combustion chamber which retains heat while also raising the cooking pot to the hottest point above the flame. This improves combustion efficiency and heat transfer, thus reducing fuel consumption. The energy flows can be described as the household use of non-renewable woody biomass to produce heat energy for cooking and heating water, and also releasing carbon dioxide as a combustion product. The project technology improves the energy efficiency of the combustion process, using less non-renewable woody biomass, and therefore releasing less carbon dioxide, to produce the same amount of useable heat energy.
The project helps reduce the use of non-renewable biomass from forests, thus assisting in conserving existing forest stocks, and the protection of natural forest eco-systems and wildlife habitats; and the protection of standing forests also helps protect watersheds, reduce soil erosion and maintain rainfall in the project area. The improved efficiency of the Changu Changu Moto stove significantly reduces wood fuel consumption, meaning that considerably less time is required to collect wood fuel. This reduces the work burden on rural families and allows for alternative opportunities for economic development.
CO2 emissions reduction
An estimate of the project’s annual carbon emission reductions achieved.
Baseline emissions | 59,848 MT CO2-e |
Project activity emissions Leakage |
20,030 MT CO2-e 4,206 MT CO2-e |
Overall emissions reduction | 35,612 MT CO2-e |
Sustainable Development Goals
As a Paying.Green® member, your investment not only benefits the environment, but it also supports communities through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.


The project creates employment and contributes to the economic development of Nkhata Bay District through the stove construction, maintenance and monitoring activities.


In areas where wood fuel is purchased, use of the Changu Changu Moto stove will significantly reduce household expenditure on wood fuel for cooking.


The Changu Changu Moto stove provides a significantly safer method for cooking with biomass, helping to reduce burn injuries, especially for children. It also significantly reduces the risk of indoor air pollution and premature deaths.


This project results in an estimated reduction in emissions of 35,612 MT CO2-e.
Project location
This project will supply and install cook stoves in eligible households within the boundaries of seven Traditional Authorities within Nkhata Bay District, Malawi including Mkumbira, Mankhambira, Fukamalaza, Malanda, Malengamzoma, Fukamapiri and Zilakoma. It will also provide cook stoves to eligible households in the Nkhotacota District due to its proximity to Zilakoma.