Uk’u’x já Project – The Hernández Family

Antonia lives with her husband, Antonio, four of their children, and their grandson, Antonio Jr., in the community of Chemal, Chajul, in the department of El Quiché. Antonia and her daughters take care of the home, while Antonio works in the field.

Before partnering up with Habitat Guatemala to receive a Smokeless Stove, Antonia used to cook over an open flame on the floor, which is called a “poyo” in Spanish. “Our poyo was built with a grill over some blocks. We cooked like that for over 15 years,” says Antonia. This caused her and her family different respiratory diseases and red eyes due of the smoke that stayed inside the house.

Antonia feels really happy with her new stove; “Our new stove is completely different!” She continues, “Now, we only use three or four pieces of wood. With the old one, we used up to 10-15 pieces every time we wanted to cook. And the best part is, that smoke leaves the house!”

They finish by sharing a message to the donors: “Thank you for providing us with this stove, we are improving our health now that we have it.” – Antonia.

(Pictured, the family’s old stove, or “poyo”)