A path to scale through social franchising
Project overview
Chimneys for Africa is turning Vesma, a simple, locally fabricable metal chimney, into a service that brings clean air to homes and community kitchens. With support from CGE, the team plans to use social franchising so trusted local entrepreneurs can make, install, and maintain Vesma in their own markets. CGE sees social franchising as an intrinsically inclusive route to scale. It transfers know-how and a shared identity while keeping ownership, adaptation, and value in local hands. It also offers a practical answer to a common pattern in the global north, where strong prototypes struggle to scale in new contexts. Social franchising builds replication around local partners, real operating conditions, and measurable results.
What we are planning to do and how
CGE will help design and test the franchise blueprint. This will include simple jigs and clear quality steps for local fabrication, a short and practical installer curriculum, service standards and warranties, and collaboration agreements that balance shared identity with local adaptation. The operating pack will cover brand, training, supplier lists, governance, and monitoring. It will draw on proven franchising methods that lower replication risk through training, operational support, and market credibility. Evidence and learning will be built in from the start. Each pilot franchise will document processes, performance, and health outcomes so the model improves with every site and ownership remains with local teams.
Progress and what is next
The team is in Kenya installing new chimneys, building relationships with local fundi, and testing smoke reduction in real kitchens. Early workshop links in Nairobi are in place, and field work is shaping practical details such as roof sealing options, larger formats for institutions, and efficient maker workflows. Next steps are to select pilot franchise leads, complete fifty to one hundred installations across several communities, and publish the first franchise playbook with training materials, quality assurance checklists, and a simple data dashboard. The goal is a clear route that partners and funders can back: locally made chimneys, locally delivered service, and measurable improvements in indoor air.
