Tsotso stoves bring relief to women in rural Manicaland

Tendai Gukutikwa-Mutare Bureau

RURAL women in Manicaland Province are taking the lead in promoting environmental conservation and improving their livelihoods through the use of eco-friendly cooking stoves, popularly known as tsotso stoves.

This transformation has been made possible through an initiative by the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Workers Union (ZIDAWU) Women’s Forum.

The forum, which operates under the ZIDAWU Trust, has rolled out the tsotso stove project in communities such as Marange and Arda Transau, where women and girls face daily challenges in accessing firewood.

In an interview, ZIDAWU Trust chairman, Mr Cosmas Sunguro described the simple, wood-saving cooking stove distribution initiative as a response to daily hardships faced by women and girls in rural, mining-affected areas.

“This project has become a life-saving initiative in Marange. The stoves reduce wood consumption by up to 60 percent, which not only protects our forests but also eases the pressure on women and children,” he said.

So far, more than 160 homesteads in Marange have received and adopted the use of the tsotso stoves.

According to Mr Sunguro, the stoves are significantly changing lives.

“Our goals are to reduce the workload of women and girls in rural Manicaland, improve their health by limiting exposure to smoke and heat, and teach them how to build and maintain the stoves themselves,” he said.

He said the initiative was especially important for girls, who often miss school or are placed at risk while collecting firewood. “There has been reduced harassment of women and girls because they no longer need to travel long distances to fetch firewood. That alone is a huge win for safety and dignity,” he said.

Mr Sunguro also emphasised the project’s environmental benefits.

“We are helping to conserve our forests by reducing over-harvesting. Some people do not even have easy access to firewood, and these stoves offer a cleaner, more efficient option,” he explained.

He said the project has gained support from traditional leaders, community members, and the Mutare Rural District Council.

It has also seen strong local involvement, especially by women.

“We trained the women in Marange and Arda Transau to build these tsotso stoves. The success of the project is because of the community’s active participation,” said Mr Sunguro.

Beyond reducing workload and conserving firewood, the stoves have brought health benefits.

“Women are no longer exposed to so much smoke and heat while cooking. This has improved their wellbeing,” said Mr Sunguro.

He said the trust plans to expand the project to reach more households across Manicaland.

“We want to keep monitoring and improving this project. We are also building partnerships with community leaders and aligning our work with national development goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. We believe that real change starts in the home and with these stoves, we are bringing that change to life, one household at a time and as Zimbabwe moves towards climate resilience and sustainable development, grassroots efforts like the Tsotso stove project make a big difference,” said                                                             Mr Sunguro.