Stories from the field
- From Danielle WeissJournal Entry #6: Stove-building field trip
Planeterra is supporting stove-building in rural communities in Peru, where traditionally women cook over open fires inside the home, filling it (and the families' lungs) up with smoke. This project is so exciting because with the support to make one small change inside the home, the benefits to the family are long term. 
On July 29th we had our field trip. We took 18 community members (+ 3 kiddies) from Ccaccaccollo to visit another community called Huallyarbamba that has already been through the process of installing stoves & solar showers. Each family also has a small garden to grow vegetables & a separate space to raise chickens and/or guinea pigs. The best part was watching the interaction between both communities. The families from Huallyarbamba welcomed all 25 of us into their homes and shared their experiences while the men and women from Ccaccaccollo asked questions, took notes etc. It's days like today that I really really really love my job :)On the bus ride to Huallyarbamba I had a great conversation with everyone to explain how the project was going to work in partnership with our volunteers. I also got to announce Planeterra's commitment to building the first 7 stoves & the training sessions. We talked about what type of commitment we needed from them, and explained benefits of the stoves. We also worked out how the stoves would be distributed amongst all 125 families, and got 3 rounds of applause :)
Edwin, our local partner for this project gave a talk about the work he has done and is continuing to do in Huallyarbamba and then we
walked to the home of the first family we went to visit, who welcomed all 25 of us into the tiny kitchen to see their stove! Berta, our host, proudly told us about the benefits of her stove - no more smoke in the kitchen, the pots and walls are no longer black, she breathes better, no more eye infections, and they use significantly less wood. Ccaccaccollo members listened intently, and took notes and measurements of the stove.
They also showed us their "fridge". All they do is put a bowl of cold water on the floor under the shelves & inside the adobe walls it was miraculously cooler keeping fruits and veggies fresh and crisp for longer. Brilliant!
Outside we got to see their solar shower. Showers do not even exist in Ccacaccollo. They heat water over the fire and wash by splashing water on themselves. A few of them went into the shower, were amazed by the hot water, came out with soaking wet hair and big smiles.
The women from Ccaccaccollo were also fascinated with the tiny vegetable gardens in this village. The women of Huallyarbamba were happy to dig up little plants from their gardens for the women of Ccaccaccollo to take home to plant.
It was such an inspiring day to not only be part of a great new initiative, but to witness the interactions of the two communities learning from each other and helping each other. Can't wait to start building stoves!
Read More Stories from the Field
Happy Ho Ho Holidays from Peru
Loy Krathong - An Experience to Remember in Thailand
New Finished Stoves!
Special Report - An Intern's Experience in Ccaccaccollo, Peru
Being There: Director's Take on the Brazil Favelas
Stove-building Field Trip
An Experience Beyond Words
Fiestas of Cuzco and Inti Raymi
Speaking with the Spirits of the Mountains
Me & My 32 Closest Friends
Coo Coo for Cuzco
