ABOUT US

In 2005, Ed Keane, a retired engineer, developed a friendship with Father Pontiano, a parish priest and missionary in Sumbawanga, Tanzania. In one conversation, the topic of stoves came up. Fr. Pontiano communicated that the people of his community using wood as a primary fuel source to cook and they are experiencing shortages and problems with deforestation.  These villagers also are encountering medical problems from smoke due to indoor cooking.  Ed offered to help design a stove based on successful stove projects he had read about in Guatemala.

Father connected Ed with Gabriel Lupasha a professor at Katandala VTC. Together they created the Marian Stove and installed stoves in villages around Sumbawanga, Gabriel was an angel for the Marian Stove project. He applied his innovation, technical skills and dedication to get the project off the ground. Unfortunately in 2021, Gabriel passed away from Covid. The Marian Stove team will forever be grateful for his leadership, inspiration, and friendship. He will be missed but his dream of clean air for women and children in his community lives on.

The Marian Stove Project is funded through local contributions, grants from outside fund-raising organizations, and ultimately through Verified Emission Reduction credits. 

Significant expertise, support, and first round funding has been provided to the Marian Stove Project by the Rukwa Foundation. 

The Rukwa Foundation is a US based 501c that supports health, education, and family enhancement projects in western Tanzania.  We are grateful for their continued support.