MEET
CHARLOT
MAGAYI
Global Executive MBA, INSEAD 27'
JOURNEY
Driving Africa's Clean Energy Future
Charlot dares to dream. She envisions a future where Africa leads the way—not with smoke, but with innovation, impact, and inclusion. Through Mukuru Clean Stoves, she is driving more than clean energy access—the organization is a symbol of hope, a catalyst for economic empowerment, and a beacon of environmental justice.
She also dreams of a future where teenage girls and youth growing up in urban slums and poverty-stricken rural areas have the chance to learn, pursue their aspirations, and break cycles of inequality. Through the Chance Libraries & Scholarships Foundation, she is bridging these communities to opportunities that can transform lives.
For Charlot, every step—whether small or bold—is a vital stone in building the foundation for her audacious dreams.
Impact
Patented Innovation
Charlot invented a malaria-fighting briquette made from recycled waste materials. The briquette not only provides a cleaner, safer source of household energy but also releases natural mosquito-repelling properties when burned. This addresses both public health by reducing malaria transmission and environmental sustainability by cutting reliance on traditional fuels.
A Drum of Deceit
There are moments in life that make you pause.
As a young girl growing up in Mukuru, books felt like windows into worlds I could only dream about. I never imagined that one day I’d be celebrating my own daughter becoming a published author.
Watching Harmony hold her very first book has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. Not because she wrote it at fifteen, remarkable as that is, but because every page reminds me that our children are not simply meant to inherit our stories. They are meant to write their own.
This journey has been filled with late nights, edits, laughter, self-doubt, excitement, and so much love. Seeing people embrace A Drum of Deceit has been incredibly humbling!
As a mother, there are awards I’ve received and stages I’ve stood on that I’m deeply grateful for. But this moment feels different. It feels deeply personal.
To everyone who has bought a copy, shared a kind word, or encouraged Harmony along the way, thank you. You are helping a young writer discover that her voice matters. And to my daughter: never stop writing. The world needs your courage, your honesty.
This is only the beginning 💚
Impact
1M+ tonnes of CO₂ eliminated
She has established factories that manufacture and distribute affordable clean cookstoves in rural Africa. These stoves replace traditional firewood cooking and burn better, reducing indoor air pollution and deforestation. By enabling households to shift to cleaner energy, her work has reduced harmful smoke exposure for women and children while cutting an estimated 1M+ tonnes of CO₂ emissions, contributing to both healthier communities and climate change mitigation
Chance Libraries & Scholarships
She is creating libraries in rural communities where access to books and learning resources is scarce. These libraries serve as safe learning spaces that empower young people with knowledge and digital skills. In addition, she provides scholarships to bright but underserved teenage girls, ensuring they can pursue secondary education despite financial hardship. This investment in education not only transforms individual lives but also fosters long-term community development and gender equity.