Beneficiaries share in the cost or “No Cuesta No Cuida”

  • Taking parts for the stove home.
  • The family supplies bricks, block, wood ash, and a base for the stove.
  • This beneficiary is preparing to mix the cement he bought to make his stove.
  • This woman and her son are digging dirt to be mixed with water to make the "lodo" that holds the bricks of her stove together..
  • Families help install the chimney.
  • Cutting a hole in the roof is done carefully by the family so that water doesn't leak in and cause problems with cooking.
  • She is sifting wood ash into the cavity of her new stove.
  • Lodo or mud is the principle ingredient in most stoves. It comes from the front yard.
  • Mud for stoves must be smooth so it is necessary to sieve out stones and rocks.
  • Proyecto Mirador supplies materials like these planchas and labor. (Photo by RRavenel)

Proyecto Mirador believes in a joint investment with our beneficiaries, or what we term, “No Cuesta, No Cuida."  This means that if something is free, you will not take good care of it.  We want our stoves to be well cared for; therefore, every family shares in the cost of its stove.

Proyecto Mirador contributes technicians to build each Dos por Tres stove in a family home. We provide all materials for installation, including the plancha (cooktop), ceramic pieces for the firebox (stove mouth), and the chimney. We then revisit homes to follow up with training on the use and maintenance of the stove.

Beneficiary families supply the remaining components including a ready-made base on which to build the stove, cement, bricks, adobe blocks, and wood ash. These materials are equivalent in value to about $12-15. They are common items available in the villages and do not constitute a barrier to participation for even the poorest families. Families must also assist in construction.

We believe “No Cuesta, No Cuida” has been critical to the success of the Dos por Tres project. Given the enormous wood savings of an improved stove, a poor family’s investment is repaid in about two months.

  • Stove Cost

    By providing time and materials for their stove, beneficiaries contribute about 1/3 of the stove cost.  This participation helps to insure each family cares for and maintains their stove properly.