Prize for Women's Creativity in Rural Life
Her project supports the following SDGs:
What are the SDGs?
The Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries – poor, rich and middle-income – to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection.
Empowering Communities
for a Healthier Future
Maria Lorena has introduced solar cooking to rural families through Solar Household Energy (SHE).
By reducing reliance on gas and firewood, her efforts have lowered energy costs, decreased indoor pollution, and protected women and children from health risks linked to open-fire cooking, identified by the United Nations and the World Health Organization as a leading global health hazard.
Through local demonstrations and hands-on training, Lorena empowered communities to adopt solar cookers as clean, cost-effective alternatives. These cookers are used to prepare meals, heat bath water, roast seeds, dye wool, and even make organic beauty products, expanding their utility. Lorena built a network of partners and educators to ensure long-term impact, and she designed improved cooker models, including smaller versions for children, making sustainable living a family-centered practice.
By using solar cooking herself, she set a powerful example. Her perseverance has made solar cooking widely accepted and accessible at the grassroots level.