Doña María lives with her husband, and some of their children, in a small community in the department of Chimaltenango. Maria takes care of the home, and many of their children while her husband works in the field.

Before partnering up with Habitat Guatemala to receive a Smokeless Stove, María used to cook over an open flame on the floor called “poyo.» “I was very hard to cook with the old stove. There was always a lot of smoke inside our kitchen, and it made our eyes and throat uncomfortable. I cooked on a pollo for over 33 years,” says María.

She feels really happy with her new stove; “I feel happy with the new stove! I am grateful to Habitat and God for giving me this stove.» She continues, «we built our adobe blocks and prepared everything to have it ready. Now it is a benefit for all our family, specially for me, because I do not burn myself anymore, and the smoke stays outside my kitchen.» María shares that they also save a lot of wood, and they do not have to buy it very often.

About the day of construction, María recalls; “We had a good time with all of them.” She finishes by sharing a message to the volunteers: “We thank all of the donors and volunteers for supporting us. Even though we can not see you, we hope God bless you and keep you safe in your daily activities. Thanks for your efforts in providing us with this new stove.” – María.