Juana, Santos, their daughter Maria Estella (8) and Juana’s father, Cristobal live in rural Solola.

The family’s kitchen is a small room opposite the house and living space. Here, the family’s kittens like to congregate and enjoy the warmth radiating from the family’s newly built Habitat stove. Santos shared with us, “it works very well, it heats very well and saves wood. We use two or three pieces now and before we used much more.”

The family of four expressed their sincere gratitude for their stove saying, “Thank you all for the team that came and worked, we are very grateful to you all. We use the stove and remember the time we had working with you.” Santos smiles after saying this and adds, “I send my hellos, we are so grateful to you for coming and for you being here with us.”

Sebastiana has lived in her house for 53 years in a small town in Sololá. She is a homemaker, and her husband works in agriculture.

Just recently, the family received a Habitat smokeless stove, made specifically to eliminate the impact of indoor air pollution caused by smoke from cooking fires. Prior to her Habitat stove, Sebastiana cooked on an open fire “pollo”. She says now, “the smoke does not affect me. Now with one fire I put my food to cook and create my nisch tamal and tortillas.”

Now she has time to do other things around the house, like spend time with her two granddaughters, Claudia and Yeimy, both 9 years old, who love spending time at their grandmother’s house.

Sebastian is also content with her new water filter “the taste of the water is different and we don’t worry about drinking dirty water.” The latrine has also made a difference for the family, “the bathroom is what we needed most. We did not have one before. My husband and I would have to use the one at my daughter’s house, but we felt like we were bothering them. It feels good to have our own.”

Sebastiana has a good memory of the volunteers “I’m very happy with the things they have built and left behind with us. Thank you, we are grateful and satisfied with you job you did” she says.

Paula and her family of five including her husband Jose and their 3 children Alan (15), Odilia (13) and Jafet (2) live in s small village in Solola.

The family received a Habitat Healthy Home Kit which included a water filter, a new sanitary latrine and a smokeless stove. When asked about the water filter, “the water tastes much better” says Paula. The family also received a latrine, and Paula shares that she is content, “it is the same style as the old one— but it is the stove that has made the largest difference,” she says.

Before their current stove, “we had a little stove with a grill, everything about it was very small. I could only cook my lunch, nothing else.” “Now everything cooks much faster because the new stove, is large.” “Now I can start dinner while I make my lunch… tortillas, anything I make, I know it cooks in less time,” she says.  When asked her favorite thing to prepare, “chicken, when I season it and fry it” she responds.

To the group of volunteers, Paula sends her thanks, “we are very grateful to you, I enjoy these things that I have and especially my stove.”

Delia, her husband Rogelio and her children, Edwina (16), Elvis (14), Sulmi (11), Melvin (9), Neriho (7) and Reina (2) in Solola. Delia is a homemaker, and Rogelio works in agriculture.

The family have lived in the current home for 10 years. Prior to their Habitat stove, “we had a stove that we propped up with rocks” the old stove is nearby and broken. “I love to make hot coffee, tortillas and prepare my daily meals with it,” says Delia.

The family also has a Habitat latrine. “Now we have our bathroom and we can go there and still have privacy. “When the kids were young, my husband created a latrine out of dried corn stalks, but after time, they started to fall, and he works so hard, it continued to fall apart over the years and we needed a new one after so many years. This was is much better because it has walls and a roof,” says Delia.

Delia is pleased with her healthy home kit, but her greatest impression was with the group of volunteers, she shares: “Thanks to God that they came to work with me. They were very kind, smiling and caring people. They cared a lot for my children, and my children felt very close to them. When the day came, I thought it would only be the builder coming to help and I thought it would take a lot of time.  To see such a group come unexpectedly show up was such a great help! They came and attended to building my stove, the latrine and it was done so quickly! I was very happy this day having them here.”

Thanks to you all, the work ended quickly, I was very happy passing this day together and send a lot of my love and greetings to everyone who came. Even now, my kids remember your names and ask for you. Thank you that you came to do this for us. We are very grateful.”