Juan (65) lives with his wife Josefa (61) and their children Juan Carlos (23), Angélica (23), Catalina (19) and baby Esneider (1 month) in the community of Sacchim, San Sebastian, Department of Huehuetenango. Juan and Juan Carlos work in agriculture, while the women take care of the different household chores.

With the support from Home for a Home and Habitat Guatemala, the Mata family received an extra room, a smokeless stove and a latrine. These solutions helped improve their living conditions by providing them with proper sanitation and a smokeless free environment.

Before receiving their housing solutions, the family slept in one room. Their house was made with made from adobe brick walls, dirt flooring and straw roofing. «The new room is working well for us. We no longer feel cold, the house keeps us warm and we feel happy with it. We have been living in the old house for over 35 years.»

Regarding their old stove, Juan shares: “The old stove was in poor conditions.  The new one is working great! We don’t use as much wood as befor. I do not have to buy wood often and the smoke goes outside so my wife no longer gets sick.»  The family has felt an improvement with their new latrine too, as the previous one was in poor condition.

Juan says, “Thank you all for our stove, our room and our latrine! We feel content with these products as they are improving our lives.”

Marta (40) lives with her husband Juan (42) and their five children Rafael (16), Apolinario (12), Maricela (11), Juan (9) and Teresa (6), in the community of Sacchim, San Sebastian, Departament of Huehuetenango. Juan works in agriculture while Marta takes care of the children and weaves traditional clothes.

With the support of Home for a Home and Habitat Guatemala, the Aguilar family received a smokeless stove, a sanitary latrine and a concrete floor. These solution help improve the family’s health by providing them with proper sanitation and a smokeless free environment. The family wanted to get involoved in this project as they knew it was a great opportunity to help improve their quality of life.

Before receiving their housing solutions, the family used to live and cook in the same room. “I used to cook over an old stove that was in poor condition. It consumed much more wood which cost more money. The new one is different as it only uses half the amount of wood as the old one. We are able to cook all our meals at the same time. The tortillas taste good and we feel content with it!” says Doña Marta. In regards to the new latrine Doña Marta says, “Now that we have a new latrine we feel happy and safe.” The Gómez family reports an improvement with the concrete floors, especially during rainy season where the dirt floor is no longer a source of pollution inside their house.

Marta finishes by sharing a message to the donors: “Greetings to you and your family. Thank you for provinding us with these housing solutions. May God bless you.”