OUR PEOPLE
We are fortunate to have support from expert team members with expertise in masonry, construction, and training. These team members were the ones who made the First-Generation stoves and helped to input all their knowledge into the final design, manufacturing, and training materials.
We plan to build from this foundational group and grow over time. We are fortunate to be located on the land of Katandala VTC a vocational training school for masons, carpenters, and metal workers.
New stove building teams are a large portion of the growth required and we plan to recruit new young talent from the school to support the growth.
Alexander Mwalyoyo
Alexander Mwalyoyo is the country lead for the Marian Stove Project. For many years Alex was an advisor within the renewable energy sector in Tanzania. He holds a Masters in Monitoring and Evaluation from Open University of Tanzania and a Bachelor of Arts in Resource Assessment and Environmental Management from the University of Dar Es Salaam. He is a renewable energy and energy access expert with more than fifteen years of experience inside and outside Tanzania, having worked on various aspects including policy analysis, programming, project innovative financing, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. He has a vast experience working for various organizations on national and international space including the Norwegian Embassy, Sweco Norway, Husk Power Systems Pvt Ltd, Netherlands Development Organizations (SNV) and TAREA, to mention a few. He has worked on various interventions in the refugee settings in Western Tanzania on provision of energy efficient lighting and cooking technologies.
Charles Kasoni
Charles Kasoni is one of the founders of the Marian Stove project and currently leads the construction teams for the Marian Stove Project. Charles is an expert in masonry and construction techniques with many years of experience leading teams in the building industry around Mbeya and Sumbawanga. He has an advanced diploma in Civil Engineering. Charles is passionate about clean cooking technologies and making an impact for women and children in his region of Tanzania.
Lwiza Gabriel Lupasha
Lwiza Lupasha is the lead trainer for the Marian Stove Project. She grew up in the Rukwa region of Tanzania. She and her sister Josephine are proud daughters of the late Gabriel Lupasha. Currently, she is in her final year of study to receive a Bachelor’s degree in Community Development from Sokoine University of Agriculture. Lwiza has worked for several organizations, including Rural Development Volunteers Association Tanzania (RDVA Tanzania) and Community Development Association (CDA Morogoro). Lwiza’s passion is to work in situations that help individuals, families, or whole communities to bring about social, economic, cultural, political, and environmental changes and to improve the quality of life in their local area.
Elijah Mwaikonyole
Elijah Mwaikonyole is the monitoring lead for the Marian Stove Project. Elijah is an instructor of computer science at Katandala VTC. He has skills in data base construction and data capture and monitoring. He is dedicated to supporting the Marian Stove Project to meet carbon credit clean stove standards in order to maximize our impact, to increase our credibility and to earn carbon credits.
Fr. Pontiano A. Chomba
Fr. Pontiano A. Chomba is one of the original founders of the Marian stove project and currently leads the board of the Marian Stove NGO. He is a passionate and dedicated priest with over 30 years’ experience serving his people in the Sumbawanga Diocese. He has a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from St Augustine University of Tanzania and a certificate on Social Teachings of the Church from Catholic University of East Africa. He was born in Pito Village and is currently an associate priest, curate at St Adolph in Mwazye. He is privileged to be one of the early implementors of The Marian Stove Designs by engineer Ed Keane.
Gerfried Komba
Mr. Gerfried Komba is the principal of Katandala Vocational Training Center and a dedicated board member of the Marian Stove NGO. He has been a strong supporter of the project since its founding and continues to foster a strong collaboration between the Marian Stove NGO and Katandala VTC. He currently functions as treasurer of the Marian Stove NGO board.
Michael Keane, US Advocate
Mike is a consultant in the US medical device and biotech industry. He was recently the founder of Orbit Biomedical and Chief Technology Officer of Gyroscope Therapeutics. He was introduced to the problem of indoor air pollution while helping his father with the founding of the Marian Stove project. He is now a donor, fund raiser, and dedicated advocate for the Marian Stove team. He believes strongly in the need for clean cooking technologies and chimneys to remove pollutants from cooking spaces. He is helping to support the team with business planning, strategy, manufacturing scale up, monitoring plans and carbon credit initiatives.
Mike holds a MEng in Bioengineering from the University of California, San Diego and a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Science and Mechanics from Pennsylvania State University.
Brian Connolly, US Advocate
Brian Connolly has been a friend of the Marian Stove team from its founding. Brian is a successful businessman serving as CEO and on the board of multiple companies and foundations. He is a long term advocate for women health issues and was the Founding Member of the Avon Foundation for Women. He currently serves on the board of Bishop Loughlin Memorial HS whose Mission is “To Educate Families in need”. The son of Irish immigrants with seven siblings, Brian’s favorite motto is, “Do the right thing when no one is looking” a tenet he picked up from his parents and continues to pass on to his three sons.
Ed Keane, Founder and US Advocate
Ed Keane is the founder of the Marian Stove Project. He is a retired structural engineer who is passionate about helping Tanzanians create a new way of life through efficient wood- burning stoves. He continues to be a devoted advocate in the US, helping to raise money and awareness of the problems of indoor air pollution. In addition, he remains committed in supporting the team with stove modifications and testing from his home in the US.
Alexander Mwalyoyo
Alexander Mwalyoyo is the country lead for the Marian Stove Project. For many years Alex was an advisor within the renewable energy sector in Tanzania. He holds a Masters in Monitoring and Evaluation from Open University of Tanzania and a Bachelor of Arts in Resource Assessment and Environmental Management from the University of Dar Es Salaam. He is a renewable energy and energy access expert with more than fifteen years of experience inside and outside Tanzania, having worked on various aspects including policy analysis, programming, project innovative financing, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. He has a vast experience working for various organizations on national and international space including the Norwegian Embassy, Sweco Norway, Husk Power Systems Pvt Ltd, Netherlands Development Organizations (SNV) and TAREA, to mention a few. He has worked on various interventions in the refugee settings in Western Tanzania on provision of energy efficient lighting and cooking technologies.
Charles Kasoni
Charles Kasoni is one of the founders of the Marian Stove project and currently leads the construction teams for the Marian Stove Project. Charles is an expert in masonry and construction techniques with many years of experience leading teams in the building industry around Mbeya and Sumbawanga. He has an advanced diploma in Civil Engineering. Charles is passionate about clean cooking technologies and making an impact for women and children in his region of Tanzania.
Lwiza Gabriel Lupasha
Lwiza Lupasha is the lead trainer for the Marian Stove Project. She grew up in the Rukwa region of Tanzania. She and her sister Josephine are proud daughters of the late Gabriel Lupasha. Currently, she is in her final year of study to receive a Bachelor’s degree in Community Development from Sokoine University of Agriculture. Lwiza has worked for several organizations, including Rural Development Volunteers Association Tanzania (RDVA Tanzania) and Community Development Association (CDA Morogoro). Lwiza’s passion is to work in situations that help individuals, families, or whole communities to bring about social, economic, cultural, political, and environmental changes and to improve the quality of life in their local area.
Elijah Mwaikonyole
Elijah Mwaikonyole is the monitoring lead for the Marian Stove Project. Elijah is an instructor of computer science at Katandala VTC. He has skills in data base construction and data capture and monitoring. He is dedicated to supporting the Marian Stove Project to meet carbon credit clean stove standards in order to maximize our impact, to increase our credibility and to earn carbon credits.
Fr. Pontiano A. Chomba
Fr. Pontiano A. Chomba is one of the original founders of the Marian stove project and currently leads the board of the Marian Stove NGO. He is a passionate and dedicated priest with over 30 years’ experience serving his people in the Sumbawanga Diocese. He has a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from St Augustine University of Tanzania and a certificate on Social Teachings of the Church from Catholic University of East Africa. He was born in Pito Village and is currently an associate priest, curate at St Adolph in Mwazye. He is privileged to be one of the early implementors of The Marian Stove Designs by engineer Ed Keane.
Gerfried Komba
Mr. Gerfried Komba is the principal of Katandala Vocational Training Center and a dedicated board member of the Marian Stove NGO. He has been a strong supporter of the project since its founding and continues to foster a strong collaboration between the Marian Stove NGO and Katandala VTC. He currently functions as treasurer of the Marian Stove NGO board.
Michael Keane, US Advocate
Mike is a consultant in the US medical device and biotech industry. He was recently the founder of Orbit Biomedical and Chief Technology Officer of Gyroscope Therapeutics. He was introduced to the problem of indoor air pollution while helping his father with the founding of the Marian Stove project. He is now a donor, fund raiser, and dedicated advocate for the Marian Stove team. He believes strongly in the need for clean cooking technologies and chimneys to remove pollutants from cooking spaces. He is helping to support the team with business planning, strategy, manufacturing scale up, monitoring plans and carbon credit initiatives.
Mike holds a MEng in Bioengineering from the University of California, San Diego and a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Science and Mechanics from Pennsylvania State University.
Brian Connolly, US Advocate
Brian Connolly has been a friend of the Marian Stove team from its founding. Brian is a successful businessman serving as CEO and on the board of multiple companies and foundations. He is a long term advocate for women health issues and was the Founding Member of the Avon Foundation for Women. He currently serves on the board of Bishop Loughlin Memorial HS whose Mission is “To Educate Families in need”. The son of Irish immigrants with seven siblings, Brian’s favorite motto is, “Do the right thing when no one is looking” a tenet he picked up from his parents and continues to pass on to his three sons.
Ed Keane, Founder and US Advocate
Ed Keane is the founder of the Marian Stove Project. He is a retired structural engineer who is passionate about helping Tanzanians create a new way of life through efficient wood- burning stoves. He continues to be a devoted advocate in the US, helping to raise money and awareness of the problems of indoor air pollution. In addition, he remains committed in supporting the team with stove modifications and testing from his home in the US.