Founder - Mukuru Clean Stoves | Earthshot Prize Winner | Forbes 30 Under 30
Fellow - Cartier, Echoing Green | Board of Director - D-Prize, Rockflower, Just Peoples
Stanford Global Energy Hero, Africa Business Hero
Charlot Magayi’s journey is a remarkable testament to resilience, innovation, and the power of change. Raised in the Mukuru slums of Nairobi, Charlot faced unimaginable challenges from a young age. Orphaned at ten and a mother at sixteen, she found herself navigating life’s harsh realities, selling charcoal to make ends meet. But the dangers of this work were all too clear—repeated respiratory infections from toxic fumes and a devastating accident when her daughter was burned by a traditional charcoal stove.
Determined to create a better future, Charlot returned to school and discovered the science behind fuel pollution. This knowledge sparked an idea that would change lives across sub-Saharan Africa. In 2017, she founded Mukuru Clean Stoves, named after the slum where her story began.
Her innovative stoves, selling at an affordable $10, slashed pollution by 90% and drastically reduced the need for charcoal—a revolutionary step for the 950 million people in the region relying on traditional cooking methods.
Charlot’s vision quickly gained recognition. In 2018, she earned the prestigious SDGs and Her award from UN Women. But her journey didn’t stop there. In December 2022, Charlot became one of five winners of the Earthshot Prize, an honor that came with a £1 million award to further her mission.
With this boost, she plans to take her stoves to the next level, developing a new model powered by ethanol, pushing even further in her quest to combat pollution and protect lives.
Charlot Magayi’s story is more than just one of innovation—it's a narrative of hope, determination, and a commitment to changing the world, one stove at a time.
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