In January 2023, Hudson Daybreak Rotarians traveled to Guatemala to build safer, high-efficiency stoves as part of an international collaboration. Open-fire cooking causes lung diseases and other health problems. Children are easily burned; and babies, swaddled against their mothers’ backs, breathe smoke and ash into their developing lungs. 

This health crisis connected the disparate worlds of Guatemala and Hudson nearly a decade ago, a story that began with a common vision, coincidental meetings and a Guatemalan Rotarian, Carlos Galvez, known in villages as “the stove man.” Galvez has tirelessly pursued his vision to build “clean” stoves that improve health outcomes, reduce deforestation and save impoverished families money. 

There are now roughly 7,000 of Galvez’s “Chapina Bonita” stoves in villages across the country, a project financially and physically endorsed by Hudson Daybreak Rotarians. In 2017, members built the first Rotary-supported stoves on the ground in Guatemala.

 “This project is successful due to its personal champions,” Hudson Daybreak Rotarian John Duntley said. “Carlos is the master champion who single handedly carries this project with multiple clubs supporting him.”

January’s Daybreak Rotary trip was the first stove-building venture since the pandemic halted travel. The team’s members: Duntley (Hudson), Kellie Burrows (River Falls), Bill Fehrenbach (Hudson), Rob Howard (North Hudson), Kerry Reis (Hudson), Shelley Tougas (Hudson) and Dayle and Scott Quigley (St. Paul). Dayle Quigley is Rotary’s District 5960 Governor.

The six-day trip included cultural experiences, but stove-building was the focus. Chapina Bonita stoves require 80-90 percent less wood, a huge cost savings for impoverished Guatemalans, some of whom spend 30 percent of their income – or more – on wood. 

Although the stoves are relatively simple, the building process requires precise measurements, not to mention lifting, squatting and bending. Guided by Guatemalan masons Freddy and Victor, the Rotarians laid, spaced and leveled the concrete blocks forming the stove’s base. 

“I’m a city girl and in no way, shape or form considered outdoorsy or even capable of building anything,” Burrows said. “As much as I love pushing myself out of my comfort zone, I thought I went too far this time. Turns out, I could handle it but not without the support of a team. It reminded me of my favorite Helen Keller quote: ‘Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.’” 

Hudson connection

About 20 years ago, Galvez was already seeking a stove solution. He’d built a successful business, owning and operating gas stations as well as a bubble-gum company; but the lives of rural Guatemalan women weighed heavily on his mind. 

“There was a woman who cooked tortillas all day and sold them. She was deaf,” Galvez said. “When she went to the health center, she learned she was not deaf.” 

Not all women are that fortunate. They’re plagued with ailments like vision problems, lung cancer, asthma, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. More than 5,000 Guatemalan women die each year from illnesses directly linked to open-fire cooking. 

At one point, Galvez thought he’d found a solution in solar ovens, but the plan quickly fizzled. Guatemala’s wet season rendered them useless during parts of the year. And tortillas, Guatemala’s staple food, don’t cook properly in solar ovens.

He started trials of “rocket stoves,” which worked well but were too small. Bigger versions were too expensive. Ultimately, he mixed engineering with women’s feedback, and the new version was a hit. 

“Fifteen days later, there were 27 families who wanted a stove,” Galvez said.

 But there weren’t resources to build and give away hundreds (and eventually thousands) of stoves.

That’s when Hudson residents Dr. Greg Young and Linda Robertson entered the picture.

They’d landed in Guatemala through a St. Patrick’s mission trip and immediately recognized the need for safer cooking practices. Internet sleuthing led them to Galvez, who showed them the stove.

 “I figured I would never hear from them again,” Galvez said. 

 He was thrilled to be wrong. Within a year, Hudson’s Daybreak Rotary had organized financial support and readied a group to build stoves in villages. The project’s financial structure requires families to pay $100 – half the stove’s cost. Not many can afford the chimney-and-flue version, which triples the expense, but families seem pleased with the basic version. 

“There was pure joy on the women’s faces as they watched us building their stoves,” said Dayle Quigley, a Rotary district governor. “As soon as we finished, they’d immediately start their first fire.”

Country of contrasts

Stoves are the central purpose of the Rotarians’ service trips, but Galvez has a larger vision: educating visitors about Guatemala, its people and culture. World understanding is a core component of Rotary International’s mission statement. After the stoves were built, Galvez guided Rotarians across Guatemala, calling his home “a country of contrasts.” 

Coastlines and mountains. Pines and palms. A new basketball court built next to ancient ruins. Village compounds, made of concrete and corrugated metal, only a short drive from Antigua, an affluent hot spot for destination weddings.

“Guatemala has a rich history, which gives me a broader appreciation for its culture,” Howard said. “Carlos opened a door for us, a door that we rarely give ourselves a chance to walk through.” 

The town of San Raymundo honored the Rotarians during its festival. After a dinner party, the group was led to the town center to see fireworks, light and release lanterns made just for the team, and watch the “Dance of the Devil,” an astonishing performance involving a man with fireworks strapped to his back.

With Galvez as the driver, Rotarians had plenty of window time to see lush scenery, stunning architecture and plenty of unexpected moments—from a man walking his goat on a leash to restaurant parking lots with armed guards. Each town, village and city has its own personality, not surprising since Guatemala has 22 ethnic groups, many with Mayan-based language, not Spanish.

“It was such a joy getting to know Carlos,” Fehrenbach said. “We’d heard so much from other Rotarians about Carlos prior to the trip. He exceeded all the hype. Even though he has done this trip many times, he brought such energy and enthusiasm to all of us.”