Promoting clean cooking solutions, environmental restoration, and livelihood development that reduce poverty while protecting Tanzania's natural environment.
THE PROBLEM
In February 2026, Better Nation Foundation conducted a community needs assessment in Mloka district, consulting approximately 30 households, community leaders, farmers, teachers, and students. The same realities emerged consistently across every conversation:
- Women and girls walk long distances to collect firewood, facing dangerous wildlife and gender-based violence along the way
- Girls face heightened risk of sexual violence in forests and remote areas during firewood collection, contributing directly to school dropout through early and unwanted pregnancy
- Children miss school or arrive late because mornings are consumed by firewood collection and wet firewood that struggles to ignite causes further delays that push school start times beyond reach
- Cooking over open fire causes chronic respiratory illness that is entirely preventable
- Forests are being cleared at an accelerating rate for charcoal and firewood, compounding environmental degradation
These are not isolated problems. They are connected by a single root cause: the absence of clean, affordable, and accessible cooking energy.
OUR RESPONSE
Karatu and Monduli districts in Arusha were selected as BNF’s first programme sites due to established women’s community networks through partner MVIWA Arusha and existing bioethanol fuel distribution infrastructure. From September 2026, BNF will provide households with clean bioethanol cooking stoves, initial fuel, and logistical support to facilitate a smooth transition from firewood and charcoal. The programme also supports environmental restoration and livelihoods through seedling programmes and entrepreneurship training.
OUR PARTNER
This programme is implemented in partnership with Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Wakulima na Wafugaji Mkoa Arusha (MVIWA Arusha), a network of farmer and pastoralist community groups in the Arusha region. MVIWA is connecting BNF with organised women beneficiaries from their member groups, and is supporting environmental restoration through seedling provision.
