Dominga Maribel lives in Solola with her husband, Samuel and their three children Milton (14), Jocelyn (10) and Cynthia (2). Her family recently received a Habitat smokeless stove when a group of volunteers built a stove in her home, and another in the home of her mother-in-law, Simona, nearby.

Dominga says “I feel happy, I had one before, but it was very old and deteriorating and let out a lot of smoke that stained the roof and walls; now, we are doing very well with this new stove.” The family supports their livelihood by working in the home and in the fields. “I’m a homemaker, I care for my children, clean and cook for my family. My husband works in the fields and sometimes for a clothes factory. When the owner gives us clothes, we work together here in the home to decorate the clothes or iron them for the factory,” she says.

Dominga has fond memories of the volunteers who came to help the family construct their stove. “They were very kind. Even though not everyone spoke Spanish well, still we got along very well, my daughter remembers them and asks about them.”

To the group of volunteers Dominga says, “I am very grateful to them. They gave their heart in the work. It is a blessing that they came to work together with us. I do not have the words how to thank you but I know that in the heavens, there is One who always helps and protects. I always pray and ask God to help you, to protect you. We are very happy to have this stove and we hope one day we will get to see you all again.”

 

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.”