Asuncíon
Like so many women in the developing world, Asunción and her mother-in-law spend all day tending the fire inside their home. Asunción's husband became concerned with the dangers of open fire cooking after seeing his mother suffer the effects of indoor air pollution.
“My mom used to cook this way… she said the smoke ruined her vision. With the open fire, [the women] are trapped with smoke", he said.
It wasn’t long until Asunción also started having problems with her vision and breathing. Their open fire used a lot of fuel, and carrying firewood on a daily basis was difficult. One of Asunción’s biggest frustrations with her open fire was how often the fire would go out when there was a draft in their home. She feared that every time she would restart the fire, she would expose herself and her three children to the possibility of debilitating burns, a common occurrence in homes like theirs.
For Asunción’s family, and others living in poverty throughout the world, an open fire is a cruel reality. Her husband recognized that despite the difficulty that their open fire presented them, they did not have any other readily available options.
“With the open fire is how we have to live, if not, we cannot survive”, he said.
But now, thanks to the generosity of StoveTeam's donors and volunteers, Asunción’s family was able to receive the fuel-efficient cookstove they desperately needed. Their new stove emits significantly less smoke, giving their tired eyes a relief. Furthermore, their fuel-efficient stove means less trips to carry heavy firewood and freedom from the frustration of a fire that will not stay lit.