Accion Cultural Guatemalteca (ACG)
Santa Cruz del Quiche, Guatemala

Guatemalan Cultural Action (ACG) was established in 1989 as groupings of Mayan Guatemalans affected by the civil war in that country, who were formerly refugees living in Mexico or had been internally displaced during the conflict, were able to return to their rural lands and rebuild their lives. Global Ministries has partnered with ACG since its beginnings. ACG has four main objectives: 1) to promote community projects in the area of education, culture, economics, and ecology; 2) to promote Mayan and Christian spirituality as inspiring and encouraging sources of meaning for community work; 3) to promote ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue in promotion of a climate of harmony, peace, and solidarity within the rural, indigenous communities; and 4) to provide training for the communities on their human rights and how to defend them.

Between December 2005 and February 2006, La Asociación Acción Cultural Guatemalteca (ACG), or the Guatemalan Cultural Action Association, distributed "Thrifty" stoves in three communities (Ixtahuacán, Victoria 20 de Enero, and Santa Elena), sixteen (16) in one community alone. It is the hope of ACG that these stoves will:

• Reduce the destruction of area forests, 
• Prevent or reduce smoke-induced respiratory illnesses among families who receive them, 
• Offer a more economical cooking method to these same families, and
• Foster healthier kitchens in the households receiving them.

The stoves are made from local materials and use much less wood to heat for cooking than the typical open fire cooking arrangements in most Guatemalan rural homes.

Households receiving these stoves were required to complete a four-stage process. In the first session, the beneficiaries were informed about the project and how the requests ACG received influenced the program. The second session focused on informing beneficiaries about the requirements for acquiring a stove. ACG spelled out which materials their organization would be contributing and specified what the beneficiaries would be expected to contribute. In the third session, ACG confirmed that beneficiaries had met their requirements and set dates of delivery. In the fourth session, stoves were delivered to the households. The beneficiaries were also instructed on use and maintenance of their new stoves. In each community, a sample installation was performed so that each beneficiary could install their stoves in their own households.

Follow up surveys of functioning stoves in the three communities found that among beneficiaries:

• 25% reported a reduction in destruction of area forests.
• 25% reported savings in the purchase of firewood.
• 60% reported a decrease in smoke in the kitchen.
• 70% reported greater hygiene in the kitchen.
• 80% reported fewer respiratory illnesses.
• 90% reported a greater feeling of safety (reduced risk of being burned).
• 90% reported a healthier kitchen.

ACG is working on its next goal, to provide 500 "Thrifty" Stoves to households in additional communities over the course of 2006 and 2007. Each stove has a cost of $150.00