Almost 50% of homes in Latin America and the Caribbean are built with poor quality materials, do not have access to drinking water and are located on land that does not belong to the family.
Habitat works to reduce the housing deficit in 17 countries through its programs.
Santo Domingo, October 05, 2022. With the purpose of celebrating World Habitat Day, last Monday, October 03, Habitat for Humanity joined the United Nations to celebrate this date, with the aim of remembering that decent housing , resilient and secure, is a fundamental human right that is not enjoyed by 1.8 billion people in the world. According to the Inter-American Development Bank, the qualitative housing deficit affects almost half of the households in Latin America and the Caribbean; which translates into millions of houses built with poor quality materials, without access to drinking water, without toilets, without showers, located on land that does not belong to the family and with dirt floors.
Within the framework of this celebration, Dominican Habitat developed last Wednesday, October 5, the Safe Housing virtual conversation. The event aimed to raise awareness about the importance of habitat, the need for housing solutions for population growth, the insecurity of vulnerable homes in the country, and collaboration in the construction of homes that are safe, resilient and supportive spaces for families from the Dominican Republic.
This space was developed through the presentations of Julissa Báez, executive director of the Dominican Association of Cement Producers (Adocem), the architect Luis Gabriel Ardila, professor at the PUCMM School of Architecture and Design, the engineer Rosivanna Ruiz, director of construction and projects of the Ministry of Housing and Buildings (MIVED), and on behalf of Dominican Habitat, engineer Francis Medina, construction and risk management coordinator.
All experts in construction issues, with vast experience in the area of social housing, moderated by the architect Betsaida Santana, program manager of Habitat Dominicana. Water and sanitation, resilient housing, access to decent housing and social housing were the topics discussed during the virtual meeting, which was presented via Zoom, Facebook LIVE and YouTube.
“Now more than ever we are convinced that housing represents the strength, stability and self-sufficiency that a family needs to progress, as an organization we are very happy that this meeting took place within the framework of the celebration of World Habitat Day, the challenges are many, we hope that more will join our cause and continue building together, to empower with housing”, said Cesarina Fabian, national director of Dominican Habitat.
Habitat for Humanity is mandated to work to reduce vulnerabilities and build resilient communities through the integration of housing initiatives to provide basic sanitation services such as roofs and floors. After Hurricane Fiona passed through the country, many families were left unprotected, their safe place, their home, was destroyed by the strong winds of the atmospheric phenomenon. Dominican Habitat has been coordinating the inter-institutional response to rebuild, support and assist the families that were affected.
Starting in El Seibo and Miches, in a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Housing and Buildings (MIVED) and the NGO World Vision Dominican Republic. The passage of the atmospheric phenomenon confirmed, once again, that the home is the safest space that a family has.
A safe house offers protection from the storm and is the shelter to be safe.
The passage of the atmospheric phenomenon confirmed, once again, that the home is the safest space that a family has. A safe house offers protection from the storm and is the shelter to be safe.
Habitat has been present in the country for 36 years, has managed to build or improve the housing of 196,455 people and has carried out around 39,289 housing solutions. It works to ensure that each person has a decent place to live, through programs focused on microfinance for housing, minimizing risk and increasing response to disasters.
It has empowered families to build strength, stability, and self-sufficiency through housing. About Habitat for Humanity Driven by the vision that every person deserves a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began as a Christian-based movement on a community farm in South Georgia, USA.
The organization has grown into an NGO focused on affordable housing, working in all 50 states in the US and in more than 70 countries around the world. Today, more than 39 million people around the world have a safe place to call home thanks to the work of Habitat.
Families or individuals in need of support partner with Habitat to build or improve a place to call home. In fiscal year 2021, Habitat contributed to improving the housing conditions of more than 4.2 million people around the world, of which 1.4 million were in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Through housing, we empower people. More information: https://www.habitat.org/lac-es. And Habitat for Humanity Dominican Republic at www.habitatdominicana.org
