Smoke Exposure
It is estimated that over two million premature deaths a year are caused by exposure to smoke from open flames. Toxic emissions are responsible for low birth weight and pneumonia in children, and COPD illness, emphysema, and many more diseases in adults.
According to the World Health Organization, half of Guatemalan children under five have acute respiratory infections due to indoor air pollution from solid fuels in households.
Firewood is always used for cooking because it’s readily available at no cost and the perfect fuel for a large percentage of families. However, it has disastrous consequences to the health and environment of Guatemala. The deforestation rate has even exceeded 65% for logging and firewood.
In terms of health, women and children spend most of the day in the area dedicated to cooking constantly exposed to harmful health factors. The solution to this problem is immediately implementing efficient stoves with ventilation systems.
These stoves are safe and effective, removing 99.9% of the smoke in the area devoted to cooking. The closed combustion chamber reduces burns in children and optimizes heat with less wood, as the stove is three times as efficient as an open fire. It is easy to install, portable, and flexible – it preserves a clean kitchen where families can cook several foods and eat together.
