In a high-profile installment of the Clean Cooking Alliance’s Leadership Series, CEO Dymphna van der Lans reannounced Her Excellency Samira Bawumia—Ghana’s former Second Lady—as a Global Champion of the Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) in recognition of her unwavering commitment to clean cooking, women’s empowerment, and climate justice.
Leading the Charge for Clean Cooking
From the onset of her advocacy, HE Bawumia has rooted her mission in an urgent reality: millions of African women and children suffer from the toxic smoke of traditional cooking methods. She shared in the Leadership Series conversation:
“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 has amplified awareness and driven tangible change across the continent.
The Clean Cooking Alliance: 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—And a Call to Action
When asked about the significance of her re-appointment, HE Bawumia expressed gratitude and continued resolve.
“I am honored 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,” Mrs Bawumia said.
Her message is clear: clean cooking isn’t a peripheral concern—it’s foundational. She urges 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 Matters—Now More Than Ever
• Health & 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 1% of global climate and energy finance.
• Economic Empowerment: Through SEHP and AFRIWOCC, HE Bawumia has forged platforms for women to lead, shape policy, and claim their rights with dignity and agency.
Looking Ahead
As Samira Bawumia returns to the frontlines of CCA’s global movement, her renewed role signals both recognition and rededication to relentless advocacy.
“It has been a privilege to walk this journey with CCA over the past six years, and I look forward to continuing our work together until we’ve ensured a cleaner, healthier, more equitable future for all,” Samira Bawumia remarked.
CCA’s Leadership Series spotlights remarkable figures driving bold action toward universal access to clean cooking—from global policymakers to innovators at the grassroots. The feature with H.E. Bawumia, published on 7 September 2025, stands as a timely reminder that clean cooking is central to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and climate resilience.
