GSP Funds 32 Improved Cooking Stoves in Comitancillo, San Marcos
In June 2009, the GSP sent funds to the AMMID organization for the construction of improved cooking stoves. Members of this organization (Asociación Maya-Mam de Investigación y Desarrollo) work cooperatively to learn new agricultural, health and income earning skills to improve their lives in one of the poorest regions of Guatemala, the Departamento of San Marcos in the Western Highlands. In June, 32 cement block cooking stoves were built in the communities of Ixmoco and Quexlemuj near Comitancillo, a collaborative effort guided by Justin Kohl, an American Peace Corps volunteer and local masons employed for the Project. This brings us to a total of 60 family stoves and one school kitchen stove that the GSP has financed and built with the AMMID Organization in this region in the past few years. Upon completion of the latest stoves, an inaugural ceremony and celebration was held. Religious leaders from each community blessed the stoves and a symbolic ribbon cutting ceremony was held. Community leaders expressed their thanks to the Guatemala Store Project for their support. Women’s groups prepared a celebratory meal and fireworks and firecrackers were set off as testimony of the importance of the event in the lives of the 32 families.
Thank You Letter from AMMID to the GSP
Agradecemos profundamente el apoyo que GSP (Proyecto de Estufas para Guatemala) ha brindado para el mejoramiento de la salud de las familias y sus esfuerzos para proteger el medio ambiente a través de la construcción de 32 estufas mejoradas en las comunidades de Ixmoco y Quexlemuj, y una estufa escolar en la escuela Primaria de Cuatro Caminos. Este proyecto ha tenido un significado muy grande en la vida de las familias pero principalmente de las mujeres porque se ha mejorado el ambiente agradable, limpio y saludable en la cocina; asimismo han sido capacitadas sobre temas importantes como seguridad alimentaria, salud y protección del ambiente.
Apreciamos y valoramos la gran calidad humana y el gran compromiso social que ustedes tienen con las comunidades mas necesitadas y creemos que con su apoyo las familias mejoran significativamente su vida.
Solicitamos a ustedes el favor de transmitir nuestro profundo y sincero agradecimiento a todas las personas y organizaciones que donaron el fondo para este proyecto.
Muchas gracias por todo, esperamos seguir fortaleciendo nuestra comunicación interhumana y que Dios los bendiga grandemente.
Comitancillo (Txolja), San Marcos (Txe Chman), Guatemala (Paxil), 30 de septiembre de 2009.
(translation from letter and final report sent by Rubén Feliciano, Director of AMMID)
We wish to deeply thank the support that the Guatemala Store Project has given for the improvement of health of the families and your efforts to protect the environment through the construction of 32 improved cooking stoves in 
the communities of Ixmoco and Quexlemuj, as well as the school cooking store in the Primary School of Cuatro Caminos. This Project has had a very important significance in the lives of the families, but especially for the women because it has brought improvements by making the kitchens cleaner and healthier. The women have also been given the oportunities to learn about important concepts such as food security, health and the protection of the environmen.
We appreciate and value the great human capacity and the great social committment that you have with the most needy communities and we believe that with your support these families are significantly improving their lives.
We ask you to pass on our sincere thank you to all of the people and organizations that have donated funds for this Project.
Thank you for everything and we hope to continue strenthening our communication with your organization.. May God bless you, The Directors and Coordinators of the AMMID Organization, Comitancillo, Guatemala
Comitancillo (Txolja) San Marcos (Txe Chman) Guatemala (Paxil) September 30, 2009
Photo 1: The family of Daniel Marroquin and Nicomedes Perez Velásquez of the community of Quexlemuj beside their new stove.
Photo 2: The family of Rebecca Gabriel Perez and Justiniano Salvador of the community of Ixmoco with their new stove.
Photo 3:The family of Maria Carmen Perez Orozco and Roberto Lopez Feliciano and their new stove, community of Ixmoco.
Photo 4: Justin Kohl and AMMID women helping with decorations and food preparation for the festivities.
Photo 5: Group photo of the AMMID families , masons and community leaders. Ruben Feliciano, Director of AMMID – front row, 3rd from the left; Justin Kohl, American Peace Corp Volunteer, back row,4th person on the right.
Photo 6: Ribbon cutting ceremony at the Ixmoco Inauguration of the GSP stoves