Mission Statement
To assist in the relief of poverty, and improve the health and well being of the indigenous and other disadvantaged peoples of Guatemala, and of similar peoples in other areas.
Charitable Status
The GSP is a volunteer-driven registered Canadian charity under #871977617RR0001 and can issue tax receipts to Canadians for donations over $20.00
GSP 2024 AGM was held in Perth on Tuesday June 25, at Coutt’s Coffee Roastery and Café in Perth. Thanks to Coutt’s Café for hosting us and to all who attended.
Download and read the Minutes from our June 25/24 AGM
Below – New GSP Board of Directors – Phill Brackenbury, Janet Allan and Miles Howe – at our June 2024 AGM
Our February 2025 stove building trip to Guatemala is tentatively scheduled to take place Feb.01 to Feb. 10. A decision will be made by November 30, 2024 about canceling or continuing preparations for the trip dependent upon conditions in Guatemala. All those interested in participating in the trip are asked to contact Phill Brackenbury at pcbrackenbury@gmail.com to indicate their interest and be placed on a list for information materials and an interview date.
When one donates a stove to the Guatemala Stove Project, the recipient family cuts their CO2 production in half. On average, this amounts to a reduction of 2 – 3 tons of CO2 a year, or 20 to 30 tons over ten years (the lifespan of a stove). The GSP has built 8170 stoves over the last 24 years. These stoves are now reducing CO2 production by 20,425 tons every year or 204,250 tons over ten years. That is two hundred and four thousand, two hundred and fifty tons less CO2 in our planet’s atmosphere. It also means 8,170 families (about 49,020 people) living better lives, over 400,000 tons of trees not burnt but still on the mountains holding soil and producing oxygen.
Please consider improving lives, and offsetting more CO2 than the average Canadian produces in a year (19 tons).
Let’s get this number up to a million tons of CO2 offset for the sake of future generations and for all life on this planet.
We would like to send out a big Thank You to Eric Scheuneman of Perth who has managed the GSP stove database and CRA tax receipts for the past 23 years. Eric is retiring from this volunteer job which he has held since we were first incorporated as a charity. He has managed this detailed, time consuming job with patience and respect. If you received a stove or bursary Thank You certificate or receipt for your donation it came from Eric! Best wishes and thank you Eric for your dedication and hard work!
We thank Paul Hauraney for stepping up to take over this important job.
Visit the GSP Facebook Page – Guatemala Stove Project – Canada for regular posts by volunteers.
Find out about the 2023 Volunteer StoveBuilding trip!
Three billion people continue to cook over an open fire or rudimentary stove and the resultant air pollution is a leading cause of death and disability. A GSP masonry cookstove will provide a wide range of health, economic and social benefits for a Maya family. Visit guatestoveproject on YouTube for a closer look.
Attending high school may be the dream of a young Maya girl and her family but is seldom the reality. A GSP educational bursary offers this opportunity and will give her more choices about her future.
2024 GSP Bursary students at AMMID luncheon
When traditional financing is not available, a GSP micro-loan is a valuable method to finance small projects and earn much needed income.
Emergency assistance allows for immediate financing to our Guatemalan partners in times of crisis such as earthquakes, mudslides, and serious health concerns. These events greatly impact Maya families with few economic resources
GSP funds the construction of cookstoves for Maya families in Guatemala. By donating a stove, you can work towards balancing your carbon footprint as well as saving forests and providing a healthier home for families who would otherwise be using an open fire.
The cookstove saves 2 to 3 tons of carbon emissions annually so that over the average 10 year stove lifespan, 20 to 30 tons of carbon emissions are avoided. If you donate one stove a year
at a cost of $300 and consume less, you can begin to approach being carbon neutral.
Volunteers at Work in Canada – From beer can and bottle collecting at folk festivals to woven bracelet sales in schools, our Canadian volunteers have shown creativity and perseverance in their efforts to fundraise for stoves and other projects. Yearly dances, cocktail parties, sit-down dinners, garage sales and presentations to schools and churches have provided us with opportunities to connect with Canadian donors and offer a hand-up to deserving Guatemalan families.