Who are we helping: La Mesada, an Isolated community in Argentina.
Objective: 10 sustainable kitchens for an isolated community
Cost: 3000 EUR
Status: COMPLETE
Date: October 2024
Hey everyone! I’m so excited to share the latest chapter of our incredible journey. This time, our adventure took us to the next level—both physically and emotionally.
I’ve just returned from the north of Argentina, Salta, to be more specific, where I traveled to a truly isolated community called La Mesada. This place has existed for over 30 years but is so far from civilization that it takes an 8-hour drive and another hour and a half climbing a mountain just to reach it. And here’s the most fascinating part—this community spends five months a year completely cut off from the rest of the world. The only access is via a lake that dries up in autumn and refills in summer when the snow melts. It’s hard to imagine such isolation, but for them, it’s just life.
The community serves 30 families, and it also has a school where children stay during the week due to the long and difficult journeys home—distances that, though only 3 or 4 kilometers, can take up to two hours on foot through rugged terrain.
One of the biggest challenges they face is collecting enough wood for cooking and heating. They use over a thousand kilograms of wood every year, which takes a huge amount of time and effort. That’s why we partnered with Pierre, the creator of sustainable kitchens, and brought 10 of these amazing ovens to the community. These were the last 10 needed so that every family in this community would have one.
These kitchens are truly life-changing for them. Not only do they reduce the need for constant wood collection (now they only have to gather wood once a week!), but they also allow families to cook inside their homes without inhaling harmful fumes. And on top of that, they can finally bake things like cakes, breads, and pizzas—things they could never do before. It’s incredible how something so simple can bring so much joy.
For the school, these kitchens are even more crucial. Most of the children, along with their teachers, stay at the school during the week because getting home is too difficult. Now they can enjoy warm meals even on rainy, windy days, and the teachers can keep the school cozy without the risk of dangerous gases filling the rooms.
Evaristo, the elected leader of the community, was so grateful. He shared with us how much time this will save them—hours they can now spend with their families instead of constantly gathering wood. The kitchens also bring a sense of safety and comfort, knowing they can cook indoors no matter the weather.
But here’s the truth: this community faces so many challenges. They receive a small stipend from the government, but there are months when it doesn’t come through, and they’re left struggling to make ends meet. This past winter, they were hit with a huge snowfall and didn’t even have enough coats to stay warm. It’s heartbreaking how quickly things can turn desperate for them.
That’s why being able to bring these sustainable kitchens meant so much to us—and to them. It’s one small way we could help make their lives just a little bit easier, and we couldn’t have done it without your support.
But this is just the beginning of the story. There’s so much more to share about this community, their incredible resilience, and the unforgettable experiences we had while we were there. If you think this was heartwarming, wait until you hear the rest. So, grab some tissues and get ready for Part 2, because I’ll be sharing the most touching and life-changing moments from our time here in the next few posts.
Thank you all for making this possible. We’re doing incredible things together, and I can’t wait to show you what’s next.
See you soon in the next chapter!
Luciana