Utsil Naj - Guatemala

Families in Guatemala use clean cooking technology to improve their quality of life and fight against climate change

Context

Central America is one of the regions most affected by climate change in the world. Particularly Guatemala, since it is located in the “Dry Corridor”, a region vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This threatens the security and livelihoods of communities, particularly those that depend on their crops as a source of income and food. A significant proportion of these rural communities still cook on open biomass stoves.

As a result, families cut down more trees, use more firewood, and produce more smoke every time they need to cook. This generates a great impact on the environment and their health.

The Utsil Naj Guatemala Project seeks to address these challenges in an innovative way. The use of Improved Cookstoves reduces firewood consumption, reduces carbon emissions, and also expels toxic gases
outside the user's home. This reduces indoor air pollution, one of the leading causes of various heart and lung diseases in rural communities.

Program details

WHERE AND WHEN:

Guatemala, Central America - 2013

TECHNOLOGY:

Improved Cookstoves

PROGRAM CERTIFICATION:

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

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Project / Guatemala

The Utsil Naj Project in Guatemala seeks to address these challenges in innovative ways. The switch to Improved Cookstoves reduces the use of firewood, reduces carbon emissions and expels toxic gases out of users' homes. This significantly reduces air pollution inside homes.

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A healthy home for all

The Utsil Naj Program, which means “A healthy home for all” in Mayan, was established in 2012 and includes projects in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. The challenge of having projects in different countries is that each location has its own characteristics.

Guatemala Project

Particularly in Guatemala, where an average of 24 kg of firewood per day is used in each household, the project's involvement has been considerable in preventing forest degradation. This is largely due to the type of Improved Cookstove used: the models installed have an insulated combustion chamber, which increases their efficiency. In addition, the campaigns have been successful in raising awareness, and the capacity building activities have helped more community members adopt the technology. This is why it is crucial to ensure that Utsil Naj remains active, to ensure that the switch to this technology is sustained.

Social impact

This approach has allowed Utsil Naj - Guatemala to remain sustainable and generate lasting benefits for more than 10 years. The project has made a low-carbon grant, corresponding to approximately 177 thousand euros issued to different local partners for the sustainability of their initiatives. To date, Utsil Naj - Guatemala has taken place in six regions: Chiquimula, Chimaltenango, Guatemala, Quinche and Sacatepequéz. In addition to the environmental impacts generated by the project, Utsil Naj has resulted in profound social and economic impacts on each of the families. For example, women and children are able to invest the time they used to spend collecting firewood in studies or other income-generating activities.

IMPACT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM

This program is certified by the prestigious Gold Standard. The positive impacts on our communities and our planet are carefully measured and reported as contributions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), defined by the United Nations Organization.

Beneficiaries

“I have bad eyesight and this has helped me a lot. I can also ask my children for help because they don't have the risk of getting burned by some firewood.”

Ligia Boj Saban

Santo Domingo Xenacoj - Sacatepequéz, Guatemala

“I used to use a lot of firewood, now I don't use so much, this firewood is worth 450 tarei, tarei as we say. But now I can save firewood thanks to God and your help.”

Maria Calicio Ajmac

Panimaquín Village - Chimaltenango, Guatemala