Stoves

One of the principal illnesses in the Province of Chimborazo is the infection of the respiratory system. According to the Ministry of Health, 65% of the population in the province still cooks with wood without a chimney and the smoke is considered to be a determinant factor for respiratory sicknesses.

For this reason, we have collaborated with our friends from Ayuda Directa USA with the hope of constructing stoves in family houses in la Esperanza.

The first stove was built in the house of Jose Manuel to serve as a prototype and to see if it would be easy to build in the rest of the houses in the community.

The stoves will bring the following benefits:
1. Using the stoves would reduce the wood required to make a meal, in comparison with the traditional method.
2. The smoke would exit the house.
3. The house would still be warmed by surrounding heat (we are keeping in mind that the climate in la Esperanza is very cold at night).
4. Through a metal tube that passes through the stove, hot water can be obtained via conduction.

For the first stove, we collaborated with the Engineer, Fausto Moreno of Riobamba, who has kindly made a design already tested in Guatemala.