THE LIFE-CHANGING 3D ENHANCED COOKSTOVE:
A TOOL AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
By Elisa Berrios, Advertising, Communications and Marketing Specialist, AHDESA
Tegucigalpa, Honduras | Breathing smoke from burning firewood and spending money every day to obtain it was part of the daily life of Eula Ortéz, a 71-year-old housewife from the community of Bañaderos, Teupasenti, El Paraíso.
She has a large family and cooking was not only laborious, but an economic challenge. Doña Lala, as her neighbors affectionately call her, is the mother of 12 children, grandmother of 40 children, great-grandmother of 11, and great-great-grandmother of one girl. For years she used traditional stoves that consumed enormous amounts of firewood. “Before, 50 sticks of firewood would only last me two days to cook,” she recalled.
Today, thanks to the construction of the Justa 3D Improved Stove, that same amount of firewood lasts more than a week and she confirms that “with this new stove we cook better, it heats more and we spend less money, because even though I live in the mountains, good firewood has to be bought.”
The Justa 3D Improved Stove has become an important tool to improve health inside the home due to smoke inhalation from burning firewood. “Before, the smoke made it hard to even see in the kitchen and the smoke is why I used to get sick a lot, but now I can relax,” she says with emotion as she recalls how her health has improved with the new stove.
It is important to note that the design of this stove reduces the smoke that is emitted into the environment, and like all equipment that requires maintenance, this stove can be cleaned weekly to improve its operation. “I clean it once a week and it is as good as new,” says Doña Eula, proud she can do the maintenance herself.
The financial savings are also noticeable. "I don't need to buy the big loads of firewood, because now with just a few sticks I light it and cook peacefully all day long.”
With decades of experience, Doña Eula sends a clear message to the new generations about the use of the Justa 3D Improved Stove: "Yes, it works. This stove is a great help to save money and take care of our health.”
Finally, she appreciates the change that came to her life thanks to the joint effort made by AHDESA, in collaboration with the Paraíso Verde project and its local partners, and the active participation both financially and technically of Trees, Water & People.
