Proyecto Mirador

Mission

The objective of Proyecto Mirador is to create a fuel-efficient stove building project that utilizes carbon finance to provide a market based financial solution to address the problems of deforestation, indoor air pollution, global warming and slow economic development in rural Honduras. If successful in securing The Gold Standard certification, this project can serve as a model for other stove projects by monetizing certified carbon savings, as well as greatly accelerate the dissemination of fuel-efficient stoves in rural Central America where degraded conditions of forests, indoor air pollution and rural poverty exceed acceptable levels.

In 2004, Overlook International Foundation (OIF), a U.S.-based 501(c)3 corporation, and Proyecto Mirador LLC (PM), its registered Honduran Affiliate managed by Doña Emilia Giron de Mendoza, initiated a program to reduce indoor air pollution by disseminating improved wood stoves called “La Justa” in and around the town of Atima, in the highlands of Western Honduras in Santa Barbara Province. The La Justa was pioneered by the Aprovecho Research Lab and was engineered to burn hotter and use 1/2 to 1/3 the wood of traditional fogon stoves, thus reducing the time devoted to wood collection and/or money spent on wood. The La Justa efficiently vents smoke outside of the house, helping to prevent respiratory and other illnesses caused by exposure to toxic gases and excessive particulate matter emitted by burning wood. Since inception in early 2004 PM has installed over 11,500 stoves for individual families (as of November 2010), built an efficient organization, and overcome the challenges of executing a successful stove project.

Organization Type

Non-Governmental Organization

Contact Information

Primary Contact	Ms. Dee Lawrence dlawrence@proyectomirador.org	Secondary Contact	Ms. Esther Adams eadams@proyectomirador.org
Address	919 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Suite 201 Kentfield, CA 94904 United States	Website	www.proyectomirador.org
		Phone	415-464-9590
		Fax	415-925-1882
		Calling/Fax Instructions

Our Focus

Primary Initiatives, Target Populations, and Scope of Work:
To build fuel-efficient La Justa 2x3 cookstoves in the poorest among poor households in Honduras; to secure Gold Standard certification for the stove and for our project; and to create a sustainable business model that can be replicated by other stove building organizations to address the enormous demand for fuel-efficient cookstoves around the world.
Fuels/Technologies:	Biomass	Sectors of Experience:	Energy Environment Health Infrastructure Renewable Energy Rural Development	Countries of Operation:	Honduras

Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas

Social/Cultural barriers to using traditional fuels and stoves:

There have been few barriers, either cultural or social, to our project. Our stove does not require any change in cooking practice, so it has been easily assimilated by the beneficiaries. There is enormous interest in the stove.

Market development for improved cooking technologies:

It is not necessary to focus our efforts on market development, as the product speaks for itself and word spreads fast among Honduran villagers. There is a long and growing wait list for our stoves.

Technology standardization for cooking, heating and ventilation:

We utilize a modified La Justa Stove. We call it the La Justa 2x3 (Dos Por Tres).

Indoor air pollution exposure and health monitoring:

We have established a division within Proyecto Mirador to monitor our beneficiaries and reinforce our training.

Relevant Publications or Studies

None noted

Our Contribution to the Partnership

To cultivate mutually beneficial strategic alliances and stay abreast of technological advancements and other developments in our field.