Guatemala is a country where more than 60% of the population lives in rural areas and relies on wood as the primary fuel source for cooking. The use of traditional cookstoves/ three-stone-fires is widespread in these areas, which has severe health and environmental implications. Women and children, who are primarily responsible for cooking, are at high risk of exposure to harmful smoke and pollutants, and deforestation rates are increasing.
We therefore set up an Improved Cookstove Project, hand in hand with Estufas Chispa, through which we sell improved cookstoves that reduce harmful smoke and pollutants, and reduces their dependency on wood fuel. Our stoves are locally designed and manufactured, with a flat top for easy-making staple food tortillas. Households receive a tailored installation and maintenance training, to make sure the stoves work optimally. As part of the project, they also receive a free warranty.
The first stoves included in the project go back to October 2020. Since then, our annual monitoring results have shown a high usage rate of the stoves, excellent stove performance, user satisfaction, positive health outcomes, reduced environmental impact, and positive economic impact. We are very happy to see this project succeed, our first one in Latin America, and are currently in the process of generating our first carbon credits from this project.
This project will be certified by the Gold Standard GS4GG certification standard, and targets SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 3 (Good Health & Well-Being), 7 (Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all) and 13 (Climate Action).