2027 Snohomish County Rotaract- Stove Project- Monte Bello
MONTE BELLO, MOMONLAC, BARILLAS, HUEHUETENANGO
About the Community:
The community of Monte Bello is located in the village of Momonlac, in the municipality of Barillas,
department of Huehuetenango. Monte Bello is 29 miles from downtown Barillas at an elevation of 3,068
feet above sea level. Travel to the community takes approximately two hours and 15 minutes by four
wheel-drive vehicle over a combination of gravel and paved roads.
Monte Bello was founded in March 1995 by families who returned from Mexico after the civil war. They
came back to reclaim their land and establish their village.
Monte Bello is home to 325 people in 65 families. Most villagers cook with firewood over open fires or on
very inefficient stoves.
Climate
The community has a generally mild, tropical climate, with temperatures ranging from 60 to 100 degrees
Fahrenheit. The dry season extends from November to May, and the rainy season lasts from late May
through early November.
School and Education
Monte Bello has a formal school with four classrooms serving 65 students.
Most villagers have completed no more than sixth grade, equivalent to elementary school. Sending
children elsewhere for advanced studies is expensive.
Utilities
The community has electricity.
For water, the villagers rely on a spring; however, only 45 homes currently receive this service.
The community has cell phones and internet services.
Local community pila
Local Economy
Villagers earn approximately $13.00 for a day of work. Many travel to the United States or to Barillas to
work and provide income for their families.
Villagers grow corn, coffee, cardamom, and beans, primarily for their own consumption. They also sell
some crops, especially coffee and cardamom.
Health, Sanitation and Diet
The main staple food for villagers is homemade corn tortillas, made from finely ground cornmeal and
water. Several privately owned corn mills serve the community. There are also convenience stores, known
locally as tiendas, that sell packaged snack foods such as chips and cookies, as well as sodas, bottled water,
and sundries.
Health care is limited in Monte Bello. The community has a health facility that is visited by a nurse twice
a week. Two villagers serve as midwives and provide care for pregnant women in the community. For bathrooms, villagers use basic home-built latrines that are not fully sanitary.
Health center in Monte Bello
Request and Needs
The community’s primary needs include improved cooking stoves.
Villagers are seeking a team to help provide cooking stoves and water filters for all 65 families, plus five
additional sets for the school and churches, for a total of 70 stoves and 70 water filters.
Cooking conditions in the home of Dominga Pedro Francisco
