Habitat for Humanity International recognizes President Abinader for developing projects that contribute to the transformation of Dominican families.
Santo Domingo. – President Luis Abinader announced the replacement of dirt floors in 10,000 homes, in a joint effort between the Government, as part of the 100,000 floors to play initiative of Habitat for Humanity Dominican Republic and the Inter-American Cement Federation ( FICEM).
The action will take place in different parts of the country, explained the president, during an activity at the National Palace. President Abinader affirmed that the actions carried out, since 1986 by Habitat for Humanity, find a point of support in the public policies designed by the Dominican government as an integral part of the country project that it is building. “We are talking, among other things, about the integral protection of the Dominican family through the execution of projects such as “100 thousand floors to play with,” which will have a significant impact on the lives of thousands of Dominicans who deserve be recognized and dignified,” he said.
During the activity held in the Las Cariátides Room of the National Palace with the CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, Jonathan Reckford; the national director of Habitat Dominican Republic, Cesarina Fabián and the member of the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity International, Celso Marranzini, President Abinader added that this plan is an international initiative of Habitat and FICEM that aims to intervene up to 100 thousand homes in Latin America.
President Abinader cited that, according to the last National Population and Housing Census of the Dominican Republic held in 2010, of the more than 2.6 million households counted nationwide, almost 100,000 had dirt floors, mainly in areas rural South and Northwest. Fortunately, he stressed, those numbers have been decreasing, and today we have the opportunity to reverse those numbers and end once and for all with that one (1) percent of homes that still have dirt floors in the Dominican Republic.
He stated that we will have these data updated in the coming days with the publication of the results of the X National Population and Housing Census, which has been taking place since last November 10.
The president explained that from this the importance of this effort that the National Statistics Office is making to have all the necessary information for the design of public policies that allow us to identify the needs of the population and provide solutions to their demands, such as it has already been done. Impact on quality of life.
“This project was also born with the vision of generating a dignified, safe and healthy habitat for the sustainable development of families, their environments and their communities. Since an apparently small gesture such as transforming a dirt floor into a concrete one has a direct impact on the quality of life of those who inhabit it and is related to comfort, hygiene, health, quality of life and safety. of its inhabitants,” he said. The president also said that it is a project that is complemented by social solutions to improve access to water and other interventions, according to the needs of each home. He also explained that his Government places a special focus on households headed by women heads of households, with children under 6 years of age, older adults, and on those families in which people with disabilities live. Precisely because of the high degree of vulnerability that affects them. “And as you well know, I am highly committed to procuring everything necessary so that the life of Dominicans is a life of well-being in which they have everything they need to develop,” he said.
He stated that he is highly committed to complying with the provisions established by the Constitution, which declares the right of all Dominicans to access decent housing. “That is why I wanted to be here with you on this day, to talk about the realities, what we have today and mainly, what is the future that awaits us as a nation.
And of course, it is a future in which everyone counts, in which we leave no one behind and in which the protective hand of the State will always be there to support those who need it most,” Abinader concluded. In the act, President Abinader was recognized by Habitat for Humanity International for developing projects that contribute to the transformation of Dominican families.
At the meeting, the projects, initiatives and achievements of the organization during 46 years of service around the world, focused on the cause of decent and affordable housing for vulnerable families, were presented. Safer and healthier housing. The executive president (CEO) of Habitat for Humanity International, Jonathan Reckford, highlighted during the conversation with the president of Abinader, how the organization affects the cause of decent housing in 70 countries. “This year, we partnered with the Inter-American Cement Federation to launch the 100,000 Floors to Play initiative, through which we aim to replace 100,000 dirt floors with concrete throughout the Latin American and Caribbean region over the next five Through this initiative, thousands of Dominicans will have access to safer and healthier housing that will contribute to improving their quality of life,” said Reckford.
He added: “We are incredibly grateful for the support we have received from private, public and governmental levels across the region, and we look forward to continuing to work together,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International.
100 thousand floors to play During the presentation of the strategy of 100,000 floors to play on, the national director of Habitat Dominican Republic, Cesarina Fabián, explained that “it has been proven that the replacement of a dirt floor with concrete generates direct benefits in the health of families, as which is confirmed by the World Bank and the University of California through an analysis carried out on a dirt floor replacement program in Mexico”.
In this regard, he stated that in children there was a 70% reduction in parasitic infections, 49% in diarrhea and 81% in anemia. On the other hand, in adults there was a 59% increase in home satisfaction, 52% less depression and 45% less stress. “These types of interventions save lives, prevent diseases, improve quality of life, contribute to reducing poverty, help mitigate climate change and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. We invite the public and private sectors to join this cause in defense of the healthy life of families, their progress and stability”, he stated.
The target population of the program will be households headed by female heads of household, with children under 6 years of age, older adults, and/or with people with some type of disability; with a focus on the areas of greatest poverty, according to the need and priorities of the government.
Celso Marranzini, a member of the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity International, also spoke at the meeting, motivating the national business community to support this decent housing campaign that changes the lives of many families. He stressed that since the first day of the Government, President Abinader has been committed to this cause and in this sense he welcomed the government initiatives that are carried out to reduce the housing deficit.
The act was attended by the Administrative Ministers of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza; of Housing and Buildings, Carlos Bonilla; the president of the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity International, Mary Cameron; former Vice President of Honduras and member of the Latin American and Caribbean Resource Development Council, Alberto Díaz Lobo and member of the Latin American and Caribbean Resource Development Council of Habitat for Humanity International, Clara Reid.
Key actors from government areas, international and local businessmen who support the actions of Habitat for Humanity also participated.
