A Special Message From Our Executive Director, Shelby Kardas, On This Giving Tuesday

Grateful for So Much

Dear StoveTeam family,

This Thanksgiving morning, I’ve been given a rare gift: a quiet moment to pause and reflect. I am living in Ecuador now, which means missing out on celebrating U.S. Thanksgiving. As I find myself far from my family and friends, I am missing “home,” yes—but more than anything, I’m feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude.

In just two weeks, something very special is happening in my life: my daughter is bringing my 82-year-old mom from the U.S. to Ecuador to try out living with me here. This upcoming reunion, combined with my recent trip to visit StoveTeam projects in Guatemala, has me full of emotion on this day dedicated to gratitude.

And truly—I have so much to be grateful for.

Champions In Action

I just returned from Guatemala after one of the most meaningful field visits I’ve ever had.

Earlier this year, a remarkable group of Rotarians from Rotary District 5100, led by Tamara Kaufman, mobilized their networks to raise funds for 70 stoves in Nuevo Palmar, our newest project in the department of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. In an extraordinary show of commitment, they raised more than $17,500 in just over two weeks.

I had the honor of traveling with several members of this group, along with another extraordinary woman, Steffanie Rivas—whose 2020 effort launched StoveTeam’s project in Retalhuleu, now our largest initiative with over 1,900 stoves placed.

Together, we visited the families whose stoves Rotarian generosity made possible. During this trip, I watched a transformation take place. Before the trip, the Rotarians were committed and curious. But after meeting the families, talking with our stovebuilders, sharing meals, and hearing firsthand the stories behind the work—they became champions.

I was pleased to learn this week that an effort is now underway for another district grant to bring even more stoves to more families.

This is what CHAMPIONS look like—StoveTeam builders and staff, listmakers from the community who sign up participants to receive stoves, and Rotarians from White Salmon-Bingen Rotary Club, Rotary Club of Winder, Georgia, West Salem Rotary Club, and Portland PNG Rotary.

The Work Is Hard — But It Changes Lives

Since returning home, I’ve found myself missing Guatemala deeply: the communities, the volcanoes, the children—but especially our hardworking team.

Throughout the trip, the Rotarians continually expressed admiration for our stovebuilders. They noted their skill, perseverance, and resilience in the face of constant challenges. Since living in Ecuador, I’ve been working hard on my Spanish, and for the first time I was able to confidently discuss our projects and challenges—and share the visitors’ heartfelt appreciation—directly with my team, in my own words. Watching the guys’ faces light up with pride as they heard the recognition was simply priceless.

Building stoves is not glamorous work. The work is manual and tough. It’s hot and humid. It’s often frustrating—roads are washed out, the traffic is terrible, and the days are long. And yet, every day, this team of ten men—led by one fiercely capable woman, StoveTeam’s Guatemala Country Director, Waleska Santos—shows up with good humor, precision, and unwavering dedication to build safe, beautiful stoves for families. Watching their evolution over these last years has been truly inspiring and one of my greatest joys.

Leadership in Action: Team meeting with Waleska Santos, our Guatemala Country Director, and José Manuel Alvarez, M&E Coordinator.

The Story I Can’t Stop Thinking About

During the visit, the Rotarians rolled up their sleeves and helped build stoves under the careful guidance of our master stovebuilders. There were plenty of laughs, some good-natured teasing when measurements were off, and a whole new appreciation for how tough this work truly is.

 At the end of the day, we were happy to show off Liliana’s nearly completed stove built by Steffanie and Laura, under the watchful eye of one of StoveTeam’s longest employees, Klisman Lopez.

While Steffanie and Laura were working, I found myself talking with Liliana, the woman receiving the stove. Liliana graciously gave me permission to share her story—a story that lies at the heart of why we do this work. What she shared with me was deeply personal—and heartbreaking.

The Health Impact of Open-Fire Cooking

Liliana’s mother died from lung and heart disease brought on by a lifetime of breathing smoke from an open cooking fire.

Liliana spoke to me about the daily realities of open-fire cooking, and the shame and heartbreaking injustice of poverty: trying to hide the truth from a doctor who had ordered the family to stop cooking over an open fire; knowing something is dangerous but not having the means to change it; not being able to afford healthcare to treat decades of smoke-related damage; and finally, the hope that emerges when a family begins to hear whispers in the community about an affordable stove with a chimney that would remove the smoke from their living space. 

Liliana’s mother lived long enough to see excitement ripple through the village as new affordable stoves arrived—but not long enough to benefit from one herself. 

Liliana generously recorded her story. I hope you will take a moment to listen. It is powerful. It is heartbreaking. And it is full of hope.

Today, Liliana’s family cooks on their new Justa stove. At a cost of around $250, one stove has now changed the trajectory of her entire family. Liliana’s sister also received a new stove. The two sisters now have the chance to raise their children in a smoke-free environment, avoiding the fate of their mother, who died from complications caused by a lifetime of smoke inhalation.

Watch This Video To Learn More About Liliana’s Story

Liliana and her son will no longer breathe smoke every day.

A Personal Gratitude

Every time I leave my desk and step into the field, the gravity of our work hits me like a weight. The need is immense. The realities are stark. The impact of something simple—something beautiful—like a stove is profound. It transforms lives.

This Thanksgiving, as I wait and prepare for my own mom to arrive, I cannot stop thinking about Liliana’s story, and I cannot help imagining my own family in her situation.

Today, I feel so blessed to have StoveTeam in my life: for the perspective this work gives me; for the friendships it has brought into my life; for the champions who have joined us, and those who have stood by us through all the twists, turns, and evolution; and for a U.S. and Guatemalan team that works harder every day than they should because they feel this mission so deeply.

On This Giving Tuesday

I am also grateful to you, our supporters—because all of you make our work possible. Stories like Liliana’s are why we continue. 

Thank you for believing in StoveTeam’s mission.

Thank you for caring about families you may never meet.

Thank you for helping build stoves that save lives, protect children and elders, and open doors of opportunity for women, men, and entire communities.

If you are able, I invite you to make a Giving Tuesday gift so we can continue placing stoves in communities like Nuevo Palmar—so more families like Liliana’s can cook safely, breathe cleanly, and live longer, healthier lives.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Liliana with her old and new stove. What a transformation a new stove can make. This is what HOPE for the future looks like.

A Special Message from StoveTeam's Executive Director, Shelby Kardas, This GivingTuesday

As we close out 2024, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your steadfast support of StoveTeam International. Your generosity drives our mission to bring life-changing, fuel-efficient cookstoves to families across Central America. Below, I am excited to share some key milestones from another remarkable year. 

In 2024, to date, we have placed 1,821 stoves, retained essential stovebuilders in Retalhuleu and Totonicapán, and forged new partnerships in every community we serve. These collaborations reduce costs, improve quality, and deepen our connections with the families we support. 

We also launched an exciting new initiative: recruiting women who’ve received stoves to help identify and guide new families through the process of qualifying for one. Known affectionately by us as “listmakers,” these women are emerging as powerful community advocates. Through stipends and support, they’ve gained improved finances, pride in their roles, and the satisfaction of helping their neighbors toward a healthier future. Their advocacy is paving the way for stronger, healthier, communities. 

StoveTeam’s mission may seem simple, but its impact is far-reaching. Our work is made up of many small, purposeful steps—holding stove demonstrations, training stovebuilders, compiling lists, and installing fuel-efficient stoves. Yet, combined, these steps weave a fabric that strengthens entire communities. Each stove, costing just $250 (0.0039% of the average American annual household income) creates jobs, removes harmful smoke from homes, cuts firewood usage in half, and reduces CO2 and black carbon emissions. This work is improving the health of countless families and safeguarding the environment for all of us!

Your continued support makes these achievements possible. Together, we are building a brighter future—one list, one stove, and one simple step at a time. 

With deepest gratitude, 

Shelby Kardas 

Executive Director

StoveTeam International 

P.S. This summer, I had the privilege of visiting our project in Retalhuleu, Guatemala, where I held the newborn niece of one of our longtime stovebuilders in my arms. As a group of children played nearby, our builder did a stove demonstration and I was struck by the significance of that moment. This little baby, with her delicate lungs, won’t struggle to breathe due to the smoke from her family's open cooking fire. Her siblings and cousins won’t miss school due to illness or the need to gather firewood. I also noticed the pride in her grandmother’s eyes as she watched her son—our stovebuilder—demonstrate his skill and dedication that now supports an entire extended family. 

I share this photo with you, StoveTeam’s dedicated supporters, as a heartfelt gift. Because of your generosity, this baby, her brothers and sisters, cousins, parents, and grandparents no longer breathe the harmful smoke of open-fire cooking. 

Thank you for making this possible. 

Looking Back At StoveTeam's Inception, Don Steely Shares His Journey With StoveTeam

In this chapter of our story series, Don Steely, an instrumental volunteer and supporter of StoveTeam, shares his introduction to StoveTeam. This narrative embodies the genuine connective force that Rotary exerts among change-makers across the globe. It also highlights our long-time partnership with Gustavo Peña, StoveTeam's first local partner in El Salvador.

“In 2005, I had just moved back to Eugene from Fiji and was looking for a Rotary Club to join. I went to a Southtowne meeting, introduced myself and stated that I was coming from the Rotary Club of Savusavu.

Nancy raised her hand and said she’d been to the tiny out-island town of SavuSavu, and then invited me on a StoveTeam trip to Guatemala. Four months later, I found myself working with Diego smashing an old concrete platform in the corner of his tiny house so we could install his new cookstove –at the time we were installing stoves made by a different organization. His appreciation and that of his wife were palpable, as was the gratitude of the other five homes where I helped install stoves on that trip. There was such incredible satisfaction and joy from making their lives easier–it felt like a privilege to be able to help these people who had so little. I was hooked.

Fast forward about a year, and Nancy, Gerry, Gail and I were in El Salvador with Gustavo going around to various government organizations and NGOs showing off StoveTeam International’s new rocket stove design by Larry Winiarski. It’s a hit-- the response is overwhelmingly positive. Suddenly that satisfaction, that feeling of privilege from installing one stove in one home exploded to, OMG, look at what we have started.

There were many trips to El Salvador to set up that first factory. We made a lot of mistakes and were frustrated by the many delays and setbacks, but Gustavo was patient and marshaled us through. We learned about making a small factory both physically and fiscally successful and even redesigned our stove. Through it all, we never lost that realization that what we had was the privilege of significantly changing people’s lives for the better.”

–Don Steely, Instrumental Supporter of StoveTeam & StoveTeam’s Beginnings

This reflection is a part of our “SMOKE: The Flavor of Guatemala” Story Series. With this story, we would like to share another recipe from our special edition cookbook, “SMOKE: The Flavor of Guatemala”. To receive your copy of "SMOKE: The Flavor of Guatemala" visit our website.

Capturing The Heart, Soul & Flavor Of Guatemala

In January 2022, Guatemalan photographer, Roberto Sacasa, worked with Stove Team staff and Founder, Nancy Hughes, to capture the bounty of Guatemalan agriculture for StoveTeam's cookbook, “SMOKE, the Flavor of Guatemala”.

As a Guatemalan photographer, I have traveled the country photographing everything, so I can assure you our culture is full of color and textures, not only in our people, clothing, and architecture but also in our food. Our food is the most colorful of all. The task of photographing so many interesting and local ingredients, capturing their essence, and portraying their natural beauty, texture, and flavor through a photograph was paramount and challenging but with good company and good music, it went by with lots of laughter. After 22 years in photography, I can say that through this book I know you will be able to see, feel, and understand so much of the flavors of Guatemala. Photography has led me to some really interesting places worldwide, but working on something that hits so close to home was very meaningful to me. The colors and texture of the food and ingredients come through in this book. But trust me, make some time and come try them yourself.

-Roberto Sacasa, Guatemalan Photographer & Founder/CEO of Roberto Sacasa -Video + Photo

In celebration of our new cookbook, “SMOKE: The Flavor Of Guatemala” we are sharing a recipe for Jardineras, a traditional Guatemalan enchilada dish that incorporates vibrant and flavorful ingredients grown in Guatemala. Visit our website to receive your book today!

Gerry Reicher Reflects On His Time In The Field

When I first visited the houses in Central America it was very distressing but at the same time surprisingly wonderful.  Houses were made of what was available. I often saw corn stalks wired together for inner and outer walls. Frequent roofing was a hard, wavy (for drainage) plastic or metal sheeting. Covering the ceilings, there were black/brown oily wood-tar stalactites; they smelled intensely of wood smoke.

The houses were usually one room and about the size of a bedroom in a modest U.S. house. Somewhere on the floor would be an open fire surrounded by three rocks. The mother of the house spent a great deal of time by the fire; she was often carrying the youngest child, and her older children were always close by. 

There was often something against the wall used to stack household and clothing items. Near the fire there was a way to stack up a few cooking utensils. In these homes, there was amazingly little of anything. If there was a decoration it was probably a religious figure. There was usually a pan or two (including something to make tortillas) and a pot or two.    

The children amazed me. They had almost nothing to play with, yet they were laughing and frequently playing. The little ones were often attached to mom and if they were older, always near mom. The older ones were quite frequently playing, laughing and smiling - without a single electronic anything; they got along well and rarely complained. A community might have one soccer ball to share. 

When I came back to check out a new stove, the mother was very often smiling and would tell us that she felt so much better because she could breathe.

This was a very exciting time for me and it seemed that we could really make a substantial impact on half the world's breath. 

– Gerry Reicher, Volunteer and Founding Board Member, StoveTeam International

To accompany Gerry’s reflections from the beginning of StoveTeam, we would like to share our tortilla recipe from our new cookbook, “SMOKE: The Flavor of Guatemala”.

In Guatemala, tortillas aren't just a staple food; they're woven into the fabric of family and tradition. These thin, round discs made from corn are more than a Guatemalan staple—they represent connection, heritage, and the heart of the family. The process of making tortillas is an art passed down through generations, often starting in childhood.

Get your copy of “Smoke: The Flavor of Guatemala” today.

Craig Gutowski, StoveTeam's Champion In The Hearth Industry

We continue our “Smoke: The Flavor of Guatemala” Story Series with a story recounted by our champion in the hearth industry, Craig Gutowski.

After traveling in Nepal and Tanzania, I looked into the global problem of open-fire cooking and was astounded by the enormity of the health and social implications. I reached out to the people at Aprovecho Research, and they highly recommended that I contact Nancy Hughes at StoveTeam International. Nancy invited me to sign up for the March 2019 StoveTeam Trip to Antigua Guatemala and I jumped on it.

I invited Nancy to come up to our annual meeting of Ontario, Canada hearth dealers and give a presentation on StoveTeam International. It was very well received and we signed up a number of hearth retailers to support our StoveTeam International program. The program enabled the customers of our dealers to donate a StoveTeam International Ecocina stove for half its cost. Our local dealers, the Foundry, and our partners at ICC Chimney shared the cost of the other half. 

Over the course of the year we had a handful of dealers who strongly supported the program. One of our dealers donated more than 70 stoves, and by the year end we had a grand total of 270! That is enough to transform the lives of a couple Guatemalan villages. 

On this increasingly connected planet, I believe the time has come for the hearth industry to take a small part on the world stage. I hope our experience can serve as a catalyst for others who might want to involve their personal or business networks in a StoveTeam International program.

— Craig Gutowski, The Foundry, Ontario, Canada

Craig championed StoveTeam International and worked hard to introduce StoveTeam to his colleagues in the hearth industry and in 2020 the HPBA, Hearth, Patio, Barbecue Association of North America, and HPBA-Canada, adopted StoveTeam International as a Charity of Choice. In 2022, hearth industry partners came together and sponsored 1,000 Justa stoves for families living in rural regions of Guatemala. Our efforts continue in 2023 as HPBA & HPBAC’s 2023 Charity of Choice, we have once again challenged the hearth industry to sponsor 1,000 Justa Cookstoves for Guatemala.

You can find more stories from our supporters in “Smoke: The Flavor of Guatemala”.