Doña Maria Josefina Atz Tun
San Martín Jilotepeque, Guatemala
March, 2021
Doña Maria Josefina is 47 years old and lives with her husband and 10 children in the remote area of Chi Don Juan, in San Martín Jilotepeque, Guatemala. Our local team built her a cookstove last fall, and we visited her house last week as part of our regular follow-up schedule.
Doña Maria Josefina and her daughter Juanita with their prized Justa cookstove
Doña Maria helps manage a cooperative in her area that empowers local women to resist domestic violence and improve their lives and communities. They coordinate to bring education and opportunities to their community, and they lead local governance, safety efforts, and collaborative projects with their municipality.
Doña Maria absolutely loves her Justa cookstove. She has been advocating for the adoption of the stove throughout her community, and we visited several houses with her to meet other women and talk about the benefits of the stove.
“I can’t read or write but I can communicate with the members of the community and make sure they are using their Estufa Justa. I adore my stove and use it for everything - morning, midday and night.”