Cooking through the Storm: How Charcoal Stoves Ended Rainy Day Hunger in Osaragada

For Aishatu Musa, a mother and resident of Osaragada Community in Kogi State, the sound of rain on the rooftops used to bring mixed feelings. While the rain nourishes the land, they also meant hardship for women in the kitchen. Cooking with firewood, the only option available to many families, became almost impossible once the rains began. 

“Sometimes, as soon as the rain starts, we just sit and wait,” Aishatu recalled. “We wait until it stops, because you cannot cook with firewood inside the house. It fills the room with smoke and can be very dangerous. Many times, our children eat very late at night, and sometimes we go to bed without food at all.” 

This was the reality for many women in Osaragada. Rainy days meant hunger or discomfort, and the burden always fell hardest on mothers who struggled to feed their families against the odds. 

But that story is changing. Through the Green Livelihoods Alliance (GLA2) Project, implemented by the Women Environmental Programme (WEP) in partnership with the Chachavivi Women and Girl Child Development Foundation, Aishatu and other women in her community were taught how to use charcoal stoves. 

The difference was immediate and transformative. With a wide smile, Aishatu described how life has become easier: “Now, it doesn’t matter if it rains. The charcoal stove is durable, it cooks faster, and it can be used safely indoors. Our children no longer go to bed hungry because of the weather.” 

The new stoves have done more than making cooking easier, it has restored dignity and peace of mind for women in Osaragada. Meals can now be prepared on time, family routines are no longer disrupted by the rain, and women spend less time battling smoke or struggling with wet firewood. 

Beyond convenience, the charcoal stoves also represent a healthier and more sustainable alternative. It reduces exposure to harmful smoke, cut down the amount of firewood needed, and contribute to protecting the surrounding forests. 

For Aishatu, the stove is more than a cooking tool, it is a symbol of change. It represents a community moving forward, women reclaiming time and energy, and families eating in comfort regardless of the weather. 

The story of Osaragada shows how small innovations, introduced through the right partnerships, can bring big impacts in everyday lives. Thanks to the GLA2 Project, what used to be a season of worry has now become a time when the rains can fall freely and the cooking can still go on.