Marvin Vissoni is a real-life hero. Living in the highlands of western Guatemala, he grew up in a home where all meals were cooked over an open fire. The smoke filled the small shelter and adversely affected the health of everyone in the family, but especially Mom and the young kids who spent most of their day with their mother as she worked. Marvin vividly remembers the pervasive smoke and creosote-coated walls.
Living with indoor air pollution isn’t what makes Marvin a hero. Many people in Guatemala (and in impoverished areas around the world) continue to cook over an open fire and are exposed to toxic smoke because they have no other choice. Marvin is a hero because he has personally built 1500 efficient masonry cookstoves with chimneys that take the harmful smoke outside and allow families to breathe clean air in their homes.
Each of those stoves serves a family consisting of an average of 6 people. This means Marvin has directly helped approximately 9000 fellow Mayans live healthier and therefore longer lives. That is what makes him a hero.
Marvin and several other masons are hired by three Guatemalan aid organizations funded by money raised right here in the Ottawa Valley through the local charity The Guatemala Stove Project. The GSP has raised enough money over the past 25 years to build over 8500 clean, efficient masonry cookstoves. Besides ridding homes of toxic indoor air pollution, the stoves also reduce the amount of fuel needed by half, which means the release of CO2 from burning is also reduced by half. These stoves save lives and fight climate change — wow!
The Guatemala Stove Project also funds microloans and educational bursaries for rural girls who might not get the opportunity to complete an education past grade 5 or 6.
Perhaps you are a hero as well, having donated to the GSP or attended one of its fundraising events. If so, you have made a tangible difference in the lives of amazing people who are struggling in very difficult circumstances. The GSP sees all donors to this cause as heroes.
This month you can help the GSP help others by participating in their online auction taking place from November 6–10 at 32auctions.com/2025gsp. When you log in you can donate a stove, microloan or educational bursary, or you can bid on an interesting item to start your holiday shopping.
The organization will also be holding a fundraising dance including a silent auction at the Perth Civitan on Saturday, November 15 featuring the music of the great local band, Open Road. If you come, you can meet Marvin, who is visiting his friends here in Lanark County!
Find out more about this great grassroots organization at guatemalastoveproject.org.