STOVE BUILDING PROJECT

The Maya people in the Highlands live much as they did 200 years ago, cooking on an open fire in their homes called the 3-stone fire. This is a fire placed on the dirt floor of their home surrounded by three stones on which they balance their cooking pots and pans.

The incidence of burns for both adults and children is frequent and severe. The fire is not ventilated, so respiratory disease is common. One in 5 children under the age of 5 die from pulmonary disease.

In addition, the smoke causes serious eye and sight problems. Deforestation is a huge problem for a country who does not have many trees in the highland region.

Women or men often walk many miles every other day to collect wood. The level of carbon monoxide in the home from the fire is 200 times the normal level. The effect is lethargy and a numbed brain.

The Ecocomal stove addresses all these problems. The stove is 80% more fuel efficient than a 3-stone fire, is ventilated, and adds to the improvement of the health of the family. In addition, time spent collecting wood can now be spent making crafts that can be sold, increasing the family income. Two different models of this stove are being used.

This project allows the volunteers to work with the Maya families in their homes and together we improve their lives without changing their culture.

So far, 2500 stoves have been installed in 30 villages.