Alassane Thiam, a high school dropout and welder from Mbar, Senegal, has revolutionized cooking in rural communities with his waste-oil stove. Designed to utilize discarded vehicle lubricants, the stove offers a cost-effective alternative to firewood, gas, and electricity, significantly benefiting households in areas where traditional fuels are scarce or expensive.
Thiam’s invention, built in his father’s welding workshop, has already impacted 26,000 residents in Mbar. The stove features a reservoir for waste oil, a trigger mechanism with propellers for consistent airflow, and two taps to regulate oil and air. It allows users to cook meals for a month using just 200 CFA francs ($0.33) worth of used oil, making it an affordable solution for low-income families.
Initially inspired by the struggles of local women to find cooking fuel, Thiam has expanded production to meet growing demand. He now employs a team to manufacture stoves and adapt the system for agricultural machinery. Priced at 75,000 CFA francs ($120) for a single-burner model, the stoves aim to balance affordability with sustainability.
Thiam hopes to scale his innovation with government or private support, making his waste-oil stove a cornerstone for economic empowerment and environmental sustainability in Senegal.