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Leroy Dzenga Features Writer
As the conversation for sustainable energy alternatives continues to progress globally, there have been calls for home grown solutions.

These include domestic energy ideas which speak to the needs of the local demographic.

Individuals, companies with products in solar energy and other creative variations from electrical energy have emerged, taking advantage of the wave.

One such person is former beauty pageant boss, Lwazi Mbowa who in a deviation from her previous area of interest, introduced to Zimbabwe a charcoal stove which she says will revolutionise the way people look at cooking energy.

The stove, which comes in varying sizes uses charcoal but carries a design of a modern household stove which could be mistaken for an electric one.

Mbowa believes her idea will transform the way households use energy for cooking. “Due to electricity costs, I realised that people cannot cook the different types of food they want. The closer alternative, gas is expensive and dangerous. This is when I saw that charcoal can be a viable solution to the challenge that is being faced by many households,” Mbowa said.

The different types meant to cater different market preferences.

The stove, which is a combination of pottery and metal designing is hand-made to specific requirement: “The outer frame made of thin steel provides the structure for the stove, and then I make the plates from a special type of clay which I settled on after trying multiple samples. There is an ash tray at the bottom of the stove, which allows convenient cleaning,” she said.

Mbowa added: “The clay preserves heat and when cooking foods that do not require long hours on the stove, people can afford to diffuse the charcoal.”

 As is said that travel allows people to engage with fresh ideas, Mbowa initially interacted with the concept on a continental travel.

“I first got the idea for a stove when I visited Malawi in 2009. It was smaller and did not have an ash-tray. I thought if I improve the idea it can be useful to Zimbabwe.

“Since then I had been slowly studying the stove and streamlining the idea. Until two years ago, I had been making for my own use but I then decided to increase my scale and sale to other people,” Mbowa said.

The stove in action.

She has been making inroads in the Zimbabwean market and the concept has also drawn interest from people across the region.

“I have been working hard to market the stove. There were many people who showed interest when we exhibited at the Sanganai Hlanganani Expo. There have been enquirers from South Africa, Namibia and Botswana who liked the idea,” she said.

According to Mbowa, a family of three may use charcoal worth $10 in a month characterized by heavy use of the stove.

This can help many at a time when gas prices have soared.

The multi-purpose stove will bring relief to families who stay in lodged settings where lengthycooking sessions have been misunderstood.

Since prepaid electricity meters were introduced, some families have not been able to eat foods like mazondo, beans and it appears the multi-purpose stove showing face in the market can provide a sustainable reprieve.

In the age where inventiveness is being encouraged as a way of growing the Zimbabwean economy, it is entrepreneurs like Mbowa who should be encouraged and supported as they are trying to bring to the fore solutions which answer our day-to-day questions.

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