Healthy Home Kit: Alain Sicay

Doña Alian lives with her husband Rubenson, their children Dylan (7), Kendra (3) and her mother Francisca in a small community in San Lucas Tolimán, Sololá. Rubenson works in a hospital, while Alian takes care of their children and home.

By partnering with Habitat for Humanity Guatemala, Alain and her family now have their own smokeless stove, sanitary latrine, and water filter. Before, the family did not have adequate sanitation and access to potable water.  Alain used to cook on an open flame stove, “there was a lot of smoke and it was hard for me to cook on the old stove,” she continues, “sometimes when we had dinner and went to bed but small pieces of wood kept burning and the smoke made it uncomfortable to sleep.”

When asked about her new stove, Alain explains: “I feel happy, the stove is working great! It saves wood and it is really big, I can cook everything in there.” About their latrine, Alain explains that the old one was in bad condition, the new stove “is more safe for my children and healthy!” she says.

In most communities in rural Guatemala, the access to potable water is limited. That is why the water filter has made a big impact in their lives too, it has lowered gastrointestinal diseases in their children and now they can drink from the filter whenever they want.

Alain remembers all the good times spent with the volunteers! “We shared with all of them, they worked really hard as a team, we shared lunch together and were really fun too”, she continues: “I pray to God every day for all of you, may God bless you and thank you for supporting us.”