Dar es Salaam. Salon service providers in Tanzania have been identified as a key group with the potential to accelerate the adoption of clean cooking energy because of their close interaction with communities, positioning them as effective ambassadors for changing attitudes and behaviour.
The observation was made on Friday, June 26, 2026, by the Kidoti Foundation director, Ms Jokate Mwegelo.
The director who is also patron of the Tanzania Hairdressers Association, during the signing of a partnership agreement between Kidoti Foundation and Oryx Energies Tanzania.
The partnership aims to empower salon service providers to adopt clean energy in their businesses while promoting its use within the communities they serve.
“Hairdressers and salon service providers occupy a unique position because they interact with hundreds of people every day, making it easier to raise awareness about the benefits of clean cooking energy than through conventional campaigns alone," she said.
“They engage with people from different backgrounds daily and build close relationships with their clients. This gives them a unique opportunity to change perceptions about clean cooking energy. We want them to become ambassadors of that change,” she added.
Ms Mwegelo said expanding access to clean energy cannot be left to the government alone, but requires the active involvement of influential groups that engage directly with communities.
She said the partnership will enable salon service providers to use clean energy in their daily operations while encouraging their clients to shift away from energy sources that pose risks to health and the environment.
Speaking at the event, Oryx Energies Tanzania sales manager, Mr Shaban Fundi, said the company partnered with Kidoti Foundation after recognising the important role community influencers can play in accelerating the transition to clean energy.
He said the initiative goes beyond providing clean energy solutions by raising public awareness of the benefits of using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and other modern energy technologies that protect both health and the environment.
“For many years, Oryx Gas has implemented programmes to promote clean cooking energy among different groups. Today, we have signed a three-year agreement with Kidoti Foundation, enabling us to engage an equally important group, salon service providers,” he said.
CCST chairperson, Ms Ntuli Mwakatobe, described the partnership as an important step towards enabling the association members to contribute to the country's clean energy agenda.
She said hairdressers and salon owners have been seeking ways to reduce operating costs while creating safer working environments.
“Today we have an opportunity not only to use clean energy, but also to become a voice for educating the public. We will use this opportunity to reach our clients every day,” she said.
The use of clean cooking energy is widely recognised for reducing carbon emissions that contribute to climate change while improving public health, particularly for women, who continue to bear the greatest burden of household cooking responsibilities.
The agreement is expected to pave the way for a broader partnership that will see salon service providers become part of a nationwide network of clean energy ambassadors, using their daily interactions to promote cleaner and safer energy solutions across communities.
