Comments on: Latrines, stoves, and doctors http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457 Disclaimer: The information and opinions herein do not represent those of the Peace Corps Sun, 05 Sep 2010 01:05:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Jim http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457&cpage=1#comment-886 Jim Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:32:55 +0000 http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457#comment-886 Thanks for the heads-up. I will look into that. There is so much out there, it's impossible to know about all of it, so every note like this is a help to us. Thanks for the heads-up. I will look into that. There is so much out there, it’s impossible to know about all of it, so every note like this is a help to us.

]]> By: Sonia http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457&cpage=1#comment-885 Sonia Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:28:51 +0000 http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457#comment-885 Hi, I enjoy reading this blog. You two go into such detail and are so observant and careful about describing your daily struggles and triumphs. I spent a year in Guatemala in 2001 in the Antigua area and married a Guatemalan. We live in Wisconsin now but are planning on going back in a year or two, which has got me interested in catching up on life in Guate. Anyway, I just found this old post of yours and I thought I would let you know about a program in Guatemala that Galindo might be interested in. It's called Progresa (Programa Estudiantil de los Amigos-Cuaqueros), and it provides scholarships and loans for Guatemalans who wish to pursue technical or university degrees. You can do a search on Google. The catch: it's only for students at Guatemalan universities, and it's only for "carreras" that will further the development of Guatemala, such as maestria, enfermeria, medecina, agronomia. In other words, NOT secretaria, perito contador, administracion de empresas. The office is located outside of Chimaltenango but applicants can just call to find out how to apply; generally, interviews are conducted in Xela, Parramos, or Coban. The loans are usually just enough to cover tuition, books, and travel or room and board. And "Amigos-Cuaqueros" means "Quaker Friends", by the way. :) Hi,

I enjoy reading this blog. You two go into such detail and are so observant and careful about describing your daily struggles and triumphs. I spent a year in Guatemala in 2001 in the Antigua area and married a Guatemalan. We live in Wisconsin now but are planning on going back in a year or two, which has got me interested in catching up on life in Guate.

Anyway, I just found this old post of yours and I thought I would let you know about a program in Guatemala that Galindo might be interested in. It’s called Progresa (Programa Estudiantil de los Amigos-Cuaqueros), and it provides scholarships and loans for Guatemalans who wish to pursue technical or university degrees. You can do a search on Google.

The catch: it’s only for students at Guatemalan universities, and it’s only for “carreras” that will further the development of Guatemala, such as maestria, enfermeria, medecina, agronomia. In other words, NOT secretaria, perito contador, administracion de empresas. The office is located outside of Chimaltenango but applicants can just call to find out how to apply; generally, interviews are conducted in Xela, Parramos, or Coban. The loans are usually just enough to cover tuition, books, and travel or room and board.

And “Amigos-Cuaqueros” means “Quaker Friends”, by the way. :)

]]> By: Jim http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457&cpage=1#comment-713 Jim Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:39:54 +0000 http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457#comment-713 And there is a lot of misinformation around, too, further complicating things. Cooking with electricity is a good example; it seems to be better for the environment because the pollution from the coal-burning or nuclear power plant is far away, where people don't see it. Using electricity for resistance heating (stoves & furnaces) is extremely inefficient, and unless you are powering the electric stove with photovoltaic panels, it is a terrible thing to do to the environment. The discussion is kindof moot here in Guatemala, though. Electricity here is really expensive, and if you are running an electric stove, your household electricity usage more than doubles (mostly because they have few other electrical appliance). The locals figured out a long time ago that no one can afford to operate an electric stove, even though they are cheaper to acquire. I have seen four electric stoves in my entire time in Guatemala, and in every case, they were owned by a Gringo. :) So, yeah, you're right- it is indeed a complicated cultural issue. And there is a lot of misinformation around, too, further complicating things. Cooking with electricity is a good example; it seems to be better for the environment because the pollution from the coal-burning or nuclear power plant is far away, where people don’t see it. Using electricity for resistance heating (stoves & furnaces) is extremely inefficient, and unless you are powering the electric stove with photovoltaic panels, it is a terrible thing to do to the environment.

The discussion is kindof moot here in Guatemala, though. Electricity here is really expensive, and if you are running an electric stove, your household electricity usage more than doubles (mostly because they have few other electrical appliance). The locals figured out a long time ago that no one can afford to operate an electric stove, even though they are cheaper to acquire. I have seen four electric stoves in my entire time in Guatemala, and in every case, they were owned by a Gringo. :) So, yeah, you’re right- it is indeed a complicated cultural issue.

]]> By: kathy http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457&cpage=1#comment-712 kathy Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:10:32 +0000 http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457#comment-712 Plus, there's a sustainable development / who's the expert angle. Sometimes those from the outside have an idea of what would help but the solution might not fit culturally or might create an unintended problem. Or might in the case of a stove, require different techniques and produce slightly different results. Or here's a closer-to-home example for some. There are some environmental and safety reasons why cooking with electric stoves here in the US is a better idea. Still, many people prefer to cook with gas. Plus, there’s a sustainable development / who’s the expert angle. Sometimes those from the outside have an idea of what would help but the solution might not fit culturally or might create an unintended problem. Or might in the case of a stove, require different techniques and produce slightly different results. Or here’s a closer-to-home example for some.

There are some environmental and safety reasons why cooking with electric stoves here in the US is a better idea. Still, many people prefer to cook with gas.

]]> By: Jim http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457&cpage=1#comment-694 Jim Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:12:03 +0000 http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457#comment-694 Yeah, i know both of those stoves. We also teach people how to build their own from scratch using cement, fire brick, and concrete block. There are lots of good ideas out there, the trick is getting people to buy into them. So often I think, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." Yeah, i know both of those stoves. We also teach people how to build their own from scratch using cement, fire brick, and concrete block. There are lots of good ideas out there, the trick is getting people to buy into them. So often I think, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”

]]> By: Brian Fahs http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457&cpage=1#comment-693 Brian Fahs Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:19:55 +0000 http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457#comment-693 http://www.onilstove.com/ http://www.onilstove.com/

]]> By: Beth in MN http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457&cpage=1#comment-689 Beth in MN Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:29:59 +0000 http://www.JFanjoy.com/blog/?p=2457#comment-689 I know of two similar stoves that do have a chimney: one is called the Onil stove, and the other is called estufas de ecocomal. Beth I know of two similar stoves that do have a chimney: one is called the Onil stove, and the other is called estufas de ecocomal.

Beth

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