Samira Bawumia reappointed Global Champion Clean Cooking Alliance
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA), Dymphna van der Lans, has reappointed Samira Bawumia, the wife of former Vice-President Dr Mawudu Bawumia, a Global Champion of the CCA, in recognition of her unwavering commitment to clean cooking, women’s empowerment and climate justice.
At the just-ended Clean Cooking Alliance’s Leadership Series in Washington, DC, Mrs Bawumia rooted her mission in an urgent reality where millions of African women and children suffer from the toxic smoke of traditional cooking methods.
She shared in the leadership series conversation that “this is not just an energy issue.
It is a critical matter of health, gender equality, climate justice and economic empowerment.”
Through her initiatives, including the Samira Empowerment and Humanitarian Projects (SEHP) and the African Women and Children Conference (AFRIWOCC), she amplified awareness and drove tangible change across the continent.
A cornerstone for global impact
Founded in 2010 and rooted in support from the United Nations Foundation, the CCA (formerly the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves) is a leading non-profit tackling household air pollution and promoting clean cooking technologies in low- and middle-income countries.
Household air pollution claims roughly four million lives each year, primarily through exposure to harmful smoke from open-fire cooking.
The CCA advocates for clean cooking as a vital component of global health, climate and development strategies; it provides grants, supports research, sets standards for clean cookstoves and builds cross-sector partnerships.
A renewed mandate
When asked about the significance of her re-appointment, Mrs Bawumia expressed gratitude and continued resolve, saying: “I am honoured by this renewed mandate as a Global Champion for CCA.
What gives me hope is the visionary leadership of CCA and its unwavering mandate to make clean cooking a global priority.”
Her message is clear: clean cooking is not a peripheral concern; it is foundational.
She urged governments to integrate clean cooking into national strategies, donors to increase funding and the private sector to invest in transformative, female-led innovations.
Why this matter
Health and Gender Equality: Clean cooking reduces air pollution, cuts disease risks and frees women from time-consuming, hazardous cooking practices.
Climate Action: It represents a low-carbon solution with high return on investment—and yet clean cooking receives less than one per cent of global climate and energy finance.
Economic Empowerment: Through SEHP and AFRIWOCC, Mrs Bawumia has forged platforms for women to lead, shape policy and claim their rights with dignity and agency.
