Dar es Salaam. Beauty and salon service providers have been identified as a key group in accelerating the uptake of clean cooking energy in Tanzania due to their close interaction with communities and clients on a daily basis.
This was said by Kidoti Foundation Director Jokate Mwegelo (pictured), who is also patron of the Tanzania Hairdressers and Cosmetologists Association (CCST), during a signing ceremony of a partnership between Kidoti Foundation and Oryx Gas Tanzania aimed at promoting the use of clean energy among salon operators.
Ms Mwegelo said salon workers engage with a wide range of people every day, giving them a strong platform to influence attitudes and behaviours on clean energy use.
“Salon service providers speak to people from different backgrounds every day. They build close relationships with their clients, which places them in a strong position to influence perceptions on clean cooking energy. We want them to become ambassadors of this change,” she said.
She said efforts to expand access to clean cooking energy cannot be left to the government alone, but require participation from groups with direct influence in communities.
According to her, salons are already informal spaces where people exchange views on health, business, parenting and development issues, making them suitable platforms for public education on clean energy.
Ms Mwegelo said the partnership will enable salon operators to use clean energy in their businesses while also encouraging their clients to adopt cleaner and safer cooking solutions.
“Clean energy is not just about cooking. It is about health, the environment, household economics and national development. By reaching salon workers, we reach thousands of households through their clients,” she said.
Oryx Gas Tanzania Sales Manager Shaban Fundi said the company partnered with Kidoti Foundation to reach influential community groups that can help scale up clean energy adoption.
He said the company is also focused on raising awareness of the benefits of clean energy technologies in improving health outcomes and protecting the environment.
CCST Chairperson Ntuli Mwakatobe said the partnership will help empower members of the association to contribute to the national clean energy agenda while strengthening their businesses.
He said salon operators are also looking for ways to reduce operational costs and improve workplace safety.
