Utsil Naj (A Healthy Home for all) - Honduras
Context
Central America is one of the regions in the world most affected by climate change. In particular, Honduras is located in the “Dry Corridor”, where extreme weather events have been intensifying with the climate crisis, threatening the livelihood and well-being of the communities who live there. These communities depend on their crops as a source of income and food.
As an added pressure, these communities still relay on open fire traditional stoves using solid fuels – such as firewood- to cook their meals. It is estimated that 59.2% of rural families in Honduras use firewood for cooking. This has a huge impact on the environment and their health.
At a global scale, the burning of biomass and coal in inefficient household stoves, releases large amounts of black carbon and other greenhouse gases (GHG). In each home, toxic fumes from conventional stoves produce indoor air pollution, a leading cause of many heart and lung diseases in rural communities.
- Where and when: Honduras, Central America - 2012
- Technology: Improved Cookstoves
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Project Certification:
The project
The Utsil Naj project in Honduras aims at addressing these challenges in an innovative way. Switching to improved cookstoves (ICS) reduces the use of firewood and lowers carbon emissions, all while expelling the toxic fumes outside the users’ homes. This dramatically decreases household air pollution.
Utsil Naj means “A Healthy Home for All” in Maya, was established in 2012 and covers Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. The implementation of the programmes in each country is tailored to the characteristics and needs of the people who live there.
Having this approach has helped keep Utsil Naj – Honduras remain sustainable, generating lasting benefits for almost 10 years. The project has generated one carbon credit issuance, corresponding to 91 thousand euros given to the partners for the sustainability of their projects. We are currently present in 11 regions in Honduras: Atlantida, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, Francisco, Morazán, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Santa, Barbara, and Yoro.
In addition to the environmental impacts generated by the project, Utsil Naj is having a profound social and economic impact on each family, going as far as helping them stay safe.
This is especially important in Honduras, where communities face the added threat of organised crime and drug trafficking. Women and young girls are often tasked with gathering firewood, potentially exposing themselves to dangerous situations. By reducing the time spent outside gathering wood, these families are kept safe and can better invest their time in academic or professional activities.
Now, these families can stay safe, remain healthy, and face the challenges of climate change.
Impact since the beginning of the programme
thousand
thousand
thousand
This project is certified by the prestigious Gold Standard. The positive impacts on our communities and our planet are carefully measured and reported as contributions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined by the United Nations (UN).
Beneficiaries
''We always use the stove. I use it to cook everything and it only needs a little firewood, they are very good'''
Jacoba Gutierrez
San Pedrito Community - Copán, Honduras
"(...) this stove has helped me a lot. I use it all the time because they are efficient and they heat well using little firewood"
Ana Martinez
San Pedrito Community - Copán, Honduras
