Lung disease is a major cause of the death in developing regions because a large number of people inhale harmful smoke when cooking over an open fire. For innovator Payan ole-MoiYoi the solution lies in smoke-free cooking. To do this, ole-MoiYoi developed a smokeless woodgas stove, designed for manufacture in Kenya, from locally available materials.
Born in the United States to an American mother and Kenyan father, ole-MoiYoi and his family emigrated to Nairobi. He found that mothers still relied on traditional cooking methods to feed their families. To provide a solution, he created the Kenya Stove.
The on-demand device is cost-effective, provides smokeless cooking and reduces the risk of health and environmental damage. The stoves use a metal cylinder which sits above its fire chamber for efficient combustion. Unlike regular stoves, the metal cylinder keeps the gases away from the stove’s thermal lining, keeping the temperature high and ensuring almost complete combustion.
Ole-MoiYoi talks about his journey in this video by Young World Inventors: