We are pleased to announce our Hero Spotlight of the Month: Charlot Magayi, ABH 2021 Top 10 Hero and founder and CEO of Mukuru Clean Stoves, a Kenyan social enterprise revolutionizing household cooking and air quality. Inspired by a personal tragedy, when a traditional stove left her toddler with severe burns, Charlot turned grief into determination, reimagining how families cook and breathe in Nairobi’s Mukuru slum and beyond.

Founded in 2017, Mukuru Clean Stoves offers $10 stoves that use less charcoal and reduce household air pollution by up to 90% compared to open fires. To date, the company has reached over 600,000 households and cut an estimated 930,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions. Mukuru’s innovative approach not only improves health outcomes but also lowers fuel costs, making clean cooking accessible to low-income families.

In 2024, Mukuru launched a new factory and introduced mosquito-repelling cooking fuels, simultaneously reducing smoke and malaria transmission. Over the years, Charlot’s work has attracted the guidance and support of global leaders, including Michael Bloomberg, and has earned her numerous accolades, including the 2022 Earthshot Prize and the title “Queen of Africa” by William, Prince of Wales.



Charlot’s vision goes beyond stoves. She is committed to climate justice, equity, and empowering local communities. Through Mukuru Clean Stoves, she has enabled women entrepreneurs to generate income, improved health for children, and provided sustainable, life-saving technologies for families across Kenya. By 2030, she aims to expand her impact to 10 million people across Africa.

Charlot’s dedication and innovation have positioned Mukuru Clean Stoves as a model for environmental and social impact. From her humble beginnings in the Mukuru slum to building a 300,000 square-foot sustainable energy campus, Charlot continues to demonstrate how resilience, creativity, and commitment can transform lives and communities.

Congratulations to Charlot and the Mukuru Clean Stoves team for their extraordinary achievements and inspiring contributions to sustainable development, climate action, and community empowerment.

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