Kiva conducts regular, ongoing monitoring of all Lending Partners, but only posts status updates here in response to relevant, major changes at the partner.

Status Update - December 5, 2024

Kiva and Emerging Cooking Solutions (ECS) have agreed to end their partnership after ten years and $200,000 in loans raised. This partner has repaid its outstanding balance to Kiva in full, and these funds have been distributed to lenders. We thank ECS for the years of collaboration and wish them success in their future endeavors.

Status Update - August 30, 2022

Kiva has moved this Lending Partner to inactive status which means Emerging Cooking Solutions (ECS) is no longer fundraising loans on Kiva, though Kiva fully expects the partner to continue to send repayments owed to Kiva lenders as long as the partner has an outstanding balance. ECS is in the process of changing its business model. If and when this partner requests to fundraise again on Kiva, Kiva will first conduct any additional monitoring and due diligence tasks we believe necessary.

Partner Description

Emerging Cooking Solutions (ECS) is a private company that sells clean cooking stoves and sustainable fuel pellets. ECS aims to help Zambia’s population, who mainly use smoky charcoal stoves, switch over to cleaner cooking methods. ECS produces sustainable fuel by pelletizing forest waste (dry plant material) into renewable biofuel. The switch from charcoal to renewable biofuel will reduce deforestation and improve living conditions by limiting the negative health effects of smoke produced from charcoal stoves.

In addition to having negative health and environmental effects, the charcoal market is unregulated. The sale of sustainable cooking fuels, on the other hand, is regulated and generates tax revenue. The additional tax revenue benefits the government and economic development of Zambia.

ECS’s vision is to replace at least half of the charcoal in Zambia with fuel pellets and eventually expand to other countries in the region.

A unique lending approach

ECS targets low-income people in urban areas who rely heavily on charcoal for cooking. Urban populations have the incentive to switch from charcoal to sustainable fuel pellets because fuel pellets are much cheaper. 

ECS loans help small entrepreneurs and institutions purchase clean cooking stoves and fuel pellets. ECS entrepreneurial loans are given to borrowers that buy 10-50 stoves and then resell them with no mark-up to his/her clients. The entrepreneur/borrower becomes a cook stove and fuel provider in the local community, while earning a long-term income.

ECS institutional loans are given to schools and orphanages that cook for a large number of children. The loans help schools and orphanages get rid of charcoal usage and lower their fuel costs up to 70%. This will lead to significant savings in energy consumption as well as other health-benefits associated with reduced carbon emissions.