Stove building in Ecuador continues to be a success

Volunteers who come to do this construction work in the Andean Communities are currently working in Larcacunga – and they get to work with a young local Dad, Ángel, who is the community representative chosen to be the mason for the stoving.

So far, the volunteers – Trish, Pedro, Ted, Michael, Adrian and Czarina – have built 11 stoves. Together with the initial stoves built by Rufus, the Stoving Project Manager, that makes 14 stoves completed.

Feedback from the families who have received stoves has been extremely positive – reports from one Mum that her eyes are hurting less as the smoke is being removed through the chimney.



Another explained delightedly how well the stove cooks compared to a fire on the ground – families cook food overnight, piling loads of wood up to try and make the fire last as long as possible through the night; now, with the stoves, they just put wood in the stove and the gentle, constant heat cooks the pot of beans or choclos by morning…and there is still enough heat left to keep the room warm.

Ángel and the families have chatted about how the stoves are going and have made a design change and now the stoves are built lower to the floor – it is customary for the Mums to sit when they cook, so this makes it easier for them. This is great news for us – the community are making the stoves work for them.

Stove building in Ecuador continues to be a success