Comments on: Jacob’s Oven and Lean

By: Teddy Kinyanjui

Teddy Kinyanjui — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:14:10 +0000

Very good idea! This is exactly what they are designed for! My dad Maxwell Kinyanjui invented these ovens, we operate a family business (Musaki Enterprises) based from Nairobi manufacturing ovens and the small biomass and charcoal energy efficient stoves which we supply to the Nakumatt and Uchumi supermarket chains. When one looks at market trends and food security issues in kenya the issue of the actual cooking of the food tends to be overlooked, the essence of the idea to invent these ovens was to enable people to do one particular type of cooking that is far overlooked in most of kenya…baking… the general idea being that people could then start cooking highly nutritious, locally adapted food such as sweet potato-amaranth flour bread, pumpkins, squash etc… the beauty of the ovens is the simple fact that they are powered by a renewable energy source, it takes 10 years to grow an acacia in drylands that can make one bag of charcoal, it takes quite a bit longer to get LPG gas ….they therefore are a carbon neutral domestic and industrial cooking energy source. Our family is heavily involved in dryland forestry and we have just opened a private arboretum in Kitengela town to show people how to grow trees!
We have sold thousands of ovens over the last few years and demand is steadily rising, with electricity costs having tripled this year and consistent LPG gas shortages these are by far the best solution. for pretty much every one, we sell 6 sizes of ovens and custom make inbuilt hot water heaters in the ovens, (after all, doing dishes with cold water quite depressing!). i would love to hear from you just how the EOQ problem is sorting itself out, Keep up the good work!!!

Teddy Kinyanjui
Musaki Enterprises
Po Box 23058, Nairobi
Lower Kabete
000804
Phone: 0724690352/0713564768
Fax: Email: teddykinyanjui@hotmail.com

By: Connor

Connor — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:33:32 +0000

I’d love to hear a follow up on this post. Has your wife gone over to Africa, yet? Has the oven you donated been delivered and used? Any additional insight on this project or experiences you can share?

By: chris

chris — Mon, 14 May 2007 23:04:17 +0000

I like how the site mentions that you do not have to be an LDS member to use the ovens. I have heard very scary stories about churches that have a conversion requirement to receive aid. Not sure what part of the Bible they were reading from…

By: Connor

Connor — Fri, 11 May 2007 00:48:21 +0000

Wow, this sounds like a really cool idea. I’m headed to Zambia for three weeks this summer w/ Mothers Without Borders to do a variety of things, and I love hearing about new, interesting projects like these…

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Tue, 08 May 2007 19:18:40 +0000

THANK YOU!! What a great post. I also wanted to let you know that I look forward to working with you and your wife on this. The things you talked about regarding the purchasing of the supplies is something that has been on my mind. I can see that you will be a great help in this. We are also starting a few ovens in Uganda and hope to find a way to have these ovens/women help out in one of the school lunch programs we are trying to start in one area… I can see that you might be the man to talk to about this stuff.

I have loved getting to know your wife and family and look forward to her coming with us….

P.S. I love this sight, I have learned so much…