StoveTeam’s International Program Coordinator Alex Eaton has been stationed in Guatemala since March of 2020. We asked him questions to shed light on what life has been like in Guatemala and what is in store for 2021.
Now that the Justa stove project is expanding into San Martín Jilotepeque, what have been your first experiences?
We start each project by building a stove to show the community how it works. It’s a great way to introduce ourselves to the community and get people excited about the stoves. In San Martín we made tortillas and cooked pork chops on a Justa stove, and people were surprised to see how little wood it required.
San Martín Jilotepeque is home to mostly Kaqchikel-speaking indigenous Mayan people. There are various socioeconomic classes within the territory but many live in extreme poverty, and many of the smallest towns don’t have any steady source of income.
San Martín is over four hours from the nearest hospital. People are living on less than $1 per day, in one-room houses made of dried sugar cane, with no indoor plumbing or drainage.
Their houses are often located in the most dangerous areas that are hard to access - sides of mountains, flood plains or other difficult terrain. On top of this, many families have seven children or more. Life is hard.
How have people in your home base of Santiago Zamora received this project?
When I arrived, people would say, “Santiago Zamora is a forgotten village.” Now I am doing everything in my control to make sure its people have jobs, a voice and the ability to improve their lives.
All of our actions have focused on supporting the local economy by purchasing all local materials, transportation, printing services, etc. People love the stoves we built here too, and many have asked for their families to be considered if another project is started in the nearby town of San Antonio Aguascalientes in the future.
What are you seeing in the homes you visit?
Most homes that I visit are small shacks made of sugar cane and metal, with a smoldering cooking fire. Families are quick to serve a refreshment or cup of Coca-Cola to show their hospitality. People have kind faces and want a better life for their children, but there’s a lack of opportunities.
How many Justa stoves are planned for San Martín Jilotepeque?
We expect to build a total of 2,800 stoves in San Martín, with the first 2,000 completed by the end of 2022. We are currently in the process of building the first 200.
Editor’s note: As of January 2021, StoveTeam’s contract with San Martín has been updated to provide for 5,000 cookstoves over the next several years!
What have been your favorite moments so far?
I love the smiles on the faces of the people as their stove is being finished. It’s the transformation from an empty space and a pile of bricks to a finished stove.
I enjoy the collaboration that we foster between each family and stove builder, and expanding our workers’ horizons, most of whom have never traveled. After seeing life in San Martín I heard them say, “Wow, I didn’t know that some Guatemalans live like this.”
How has StoveTeam's commitment to women’s empowerment impacted the project?
Currently, we have three female team members - two stove builders and one office administrator.
Families are usually shocked to see a woman in the albañil (constructor) position because gender roles are well-defined in this machismo culture, but Betty and Eva are stellar stove builders.
Betty Hernández (left) and Eva Hernández (right)
Do you feel your local staff are enjoying their work?
The workers are ecstatic and never expected this type of job in their hometown. I heard from one, “We prayed to God for a change and you came into our lives. We never expected this but now we realize that God answers requests.”
I work to ensure that we are abiding by the laws and providing the best for our workers, but sadly many companies in Guatemala don’t follow the rules. One of my favorite things to do with our workers is team-building activities on Saturday mornings. We try to build the synergy and trust between our workers by engaging in games and activities that push us to excellence.
What challenges has the project faced?
There are day-to-day challenges that occur, like when the internet cuts off due to a hurricane. Life is never settled here and we are phenomenal problem solvers.
Supply chain management is another challenge, for example when a brick delivery is delayed, or finding a solution to transport chimney tubes to remote locations.
What kinds of personal adventures have you had during the last few months living in Guatemala?
I arrived in Guatemala on March 1st, prepared to help expand StoveTeam’s educational programs. With the onset of COVID-19, the Guatemala border closed and it was no longer possible to conduct much of the programming we had planned. StoveTeam embraced the opportunity to start a new venture and suddenly all aspects of my position changed. The challenge has been worth it, and now I feel more confident in life and job.
DO you have Any other thoughts about The project so far?
Alex Eaton at the San Jose el Viejo language school in Antigua, Guatemala
StoveTeam’s Justa Stove Project is a blessing for so many people here because COVID-19 has turned the world upside down. For the workers, this has been a welcome blessing for stable work and anticipation of growth. For each family we reach, this project means a smokeless house where they can safely cook and live together.
Since July, we have been working together to grow this project, and our expansion into San Martín Jilotepeque is the next big step with more challenges in store. All in due time.