Strengthening the Clean Household Energy Solutions Toolkit in Malawi

Rationale

This project responds to the need identified by the Government of Malawi to reduce the country’s high burden of household air pollution through evidence-based policymaking and cross-sectoral collaboration.

In Malawi, the majority of the rural population still relies on three-stone fires for cooking, leading to harmful indoor air pollution and negative health outcomes, especially among women and children. Access to clean fuels and technologies remains limited, particularly outside urban areas.

To address this, the Government of Malawi is working to integrate clean household energy priorities into national frameworks, informed by WHO’s Clean Household Energy Solutions Toolkit (CHEST) and Household Energy Assessment Rapid Tool (HEART). These tools are intended to help policymakers assess the health and economic benefits of transitioning to clean cooking solutions.

This project will advance Malawi’s commitments under World Health Assembly resolutions on air pollution and health, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 3 and 7), and broader climate and public health objectives. It is supported under the CCAC’s Household Energy Program.

Objectives

• The Government of Malawi integrates clean household energy transition priorities into national dialogue, planning frameworks, and advocacy efforts by the end of the project.

• Relevant government agencies and stakeholders have increased capacity to apply WHO tools (CHEST, HEART, BAR-HAP) in policymaking and implementation.

• Awareness and coordination across health, energy, and environmental sectors are strengthened to support the transition to clean household energy.

Activities

To achieve these objectives, the project will:

• Conduct a one-day advocacy workshop for senior government staff, policymakers, and the private sector to introduce CHEST and the health benefits of clean cooking.

• Carry out a detailed HEART assessment (data collection, analysis, stakeholder validation, and dissemination) to inform national planning and clean energy policies.

• Host a validation workshop with key stakeholders to ensure HEART findings are aligned with national strategies.

• Organize a dissemination meeting and webinar to present HEART findings to government and relevant partners.

• Conduct a Training of Trainers workshop using the BAR-HAP tool to build capacity among senior government staff on health risks of household air pollution and strategies to reduce exposure.

Project Reference: [25-009-MW-24-002t] Strengthening the Clean Household Energy Solutions Toolkit in Malawi