Flavia
In March of 2020 when work stopped in StoveTeam's Guatemala partner factory due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus COVID-19, StoveTeam's International Program Coordinator Alex Eaton began taking long walks around the area and talking to local people.
He met 72-year-old Flavia as she was carrying firewood for her open cooking fire, an almost-daily chore that she says injures her neck. Flavia lives with her daughter who weaves traditional clothing. Alex filmed the following video of Flavia explaining that the smoke inside her home has damaged her eyesight.
But this story isn’t over! Expect an update soon as StoveTeam is working to provide a clean cookstove and change the lives of Flavia and her daughter.
Of his current experience during the outbreak in Guatemala, Alex says, “I took a long walk yesterday and saw the situation - people walking, riding bicycles, passing their time. One man commented, 'nothing has changed in the village, especially for farmers,' but others held their heads low. The landlady of my house responded, 'with the closure of businesses, I am not able to sell my handicrafts and feed my family'.”
Update: July, 2020
We were thrilled to install one of our first Justa model cookstoves in Flavia’s home! Now Flavia won’t have to worry about any more smoke inside her home damaging her eyes, or carrying so much wood for her fire every day!
