From Smoke to Hope. Transforming Lives Through Clean Cooking in Panabajal, Guatemala

In the rural highlands of Panabajal, Comalapa, cooking is not just a daily task—it is a matter of health, dignity, and survival. For many families, preparing a meal still means breathing toxic smoke for hours each day inside fragile homes. Yet, through your support, this reality can change. 

A Life Spent in Smoke – Doña Ofelia’s Story 

Doña Ofelia Pol Coló has lived in the same modest home since the day she married. Within its cracked walls, she raised her children and built a life rooted in perseverance and love. Today, although her children have families of their own, she and her husband remain—aging alongside a house that reflects decades of sacrifice. 

Her kitchen bears the weight of years of hardship. An old adobe stove, broken and barely functional, fills the room with thick smoke every time she cooks. Soot covers the walls and ceiling. For years, Doña Ofelia has endured burning eyes, chronic coughing, and constant discomfort—silent challenges she accepted as part of everyday life. 

When she learned about the Improved Cookstove Project, she felt something she hadn’t allowed herself in years: hope. 

For Doña Ofelia, a clean cookstove is not a luxury. It is the opportunity to breathe safely, cook without fear, and live her remaining years with dignity. Yet, with extremely limited household income, saving for home improvements has never been an option. Every resource is devoted to covering basic needs. 

Your support turns her hope into a real and lasting transformation.