Doña Dora Cookstoves & a Rainwater Catchment Cistern in Guatemala

World Centric + Trees, Water & People

$44,472.50 from profits from fiscal year 2018 (51% of project total budget)
Carbon Offsets Project

Lack of access to clean water and household energy are major drivers of poverty in Guatemala. Prevailing models project catastrophic reductions in water security. Intestinal maladies from contaminated water are also on the rise. Meanwhile, 64% of Guatemalan women with wood or charcoal over open fires and 2500 die prematurely each year (including 1200 children) from exposure to smoke. Demand for firewood denudes landscapes, and represents both opportunity cost and tragic, inter-generational poverty trap. These problems can be addressed through efficient, durable, locally-made cookstoves and training.

Increasing water security while mitigating open fire cooking are two practical solutions to improve well-being & can be achieved through access to efficient, locally-made cookstoves and rainwater catchment tanks. Working with CEASO, a local NGO, TWP will build 200 cookstoves and working with Engineers Without Borders, build one community-scale rainwater catchment system for a women's garden that supplies local produce for 120 families.

The Impact

• 200 cookstoves, benefitting 1,000 members of the community
• 1 community water cistern with 20,000 liter capacity

Indirect Impact:

• Local, Guatemalan company Estufa Doña Dora will benefit financially, supporting the local economy with 3 living-wage jobs
• Economic improvements due to fuel saved is equal to $108.50 annually per family
• Save 540 tons of fuel wood over 5 years
• Avert 1,800 Tons of emissions over 5 years
• Mitigate harvest of 6.75 hectares of forest per year
• Health improvements from reducing smoke inhalation
• Less time spent gathering fuel and cooking allows women more control over how their time is spent
• Environmental improvements by slowing the rate of deforestation and reducing carbon emissions
• Through 20,000L rainwater harvest tank, avert an estimated 100,000L of water demand on local springs.
• Provide water for 80 person community garden
• Supply 120 families with fresh produce

About Trees, Water & People

A World Centric partner since 2015.

Trees, Water & People's mission is to improve people's lives by helping communities protect, conserve, and manage the natural resources upon which their long-term well-being depends.TWP's unique community-based development model was founded on the philosophy that the best way to help those most in need is to involve them directly in the design and implementation of local environmental and economic development initiatives.

More projects with Trees, Water & People:

• Justa Cookstoves in Honduras
• Trees & Latrines in El Salvador
• Trees & Proleña Cookstoves in Nicaragua