Smokeless Stove: María López

María Rosa, María Verolia and María Ameliana (las tres Marías) are three sisters living in a small community in Chimaltenango. While María Verolia works in a nearby town, María Rosa and María Ameliana take care of the house and weave traditional clothing.

Before partnering with Habitat Guatemala to receive their smokeless stove, they used to cook on an open flame, causing them to have irritation in their eyes and respiratory diseases due to the smoke. “Before, we had to bend on our knees near the “pollo” to prepare our tortillas,” she continues; “Now, we do not have to do it any more.”

María Rosa explains how they feel with the new stove: “We feel happy now! we no longer have to use a lot of wood, just a few pieces,” she continues; “we can cook our beans, prepare some salsas to eat really fast.”

They finish by sharing a message to the volunteers: “It was a fun day! We were really happy to receive them in our house,” she continues; “May God bless you, thank you all for your support in building our stove!