“Together with our allies, we make it easier for women to improve their infrastructure so that this home can become a productive dwelling that generates income and brings sustenance to them and their families.”.
SANTO DOMINGO– The pandemic made it clear that having a decent roof over your head is a gift for which those who have received it should express gratitude. The COVID-19 era reaffirmed the importance of having a place to shelter and that, even amidst the helplessness and despair that can afflict human beings at times, having a home makes all the difference.
Habitat for Humanity in the Dominican Republic is an organization that carries out a noble cause in 70 countries, including the Dominican Republic, where it develops programs aimed at vulnerable populations. Helping more and more families have access to decent housing is one of its core objectives.
Since 2018, it has launched the "Building Hope Step by Step" program, aimed at women who own a home business and are in need of some improvement in their infrastructure.
A small grocery store, a beauty salon, a food stand, a clothing store, or any type of entrepreneurial venture that women are capable of innovating, all qualify to be supported by Habitat and its network of allies responsible for providing microcredit so that women have the economic resources to adapt their space.
“Habitat’s vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Together with our partners, we help women improve their homes so they can become productive dwellings that generate income and provide sustenance for them and their families,” says Gina Vera, Human Resources Development and Communications Manager for the organization.
To continue building hope in the communities, Vera calls on individuals and companies to join the generous initiative and collaborate to continue making effective the reality of support for the fighting women, through whose program 200 women have benefited to date, 50 each year, whom the institution has positively impacted, making it easier for them to improve their conditions and those of their families.
So far the program has been carried out in the sectors of Haina, Boca Chica, San Cristóbal and Los Alcarrizos.
The beneficiaries have been the program's main spokespeople, spreading the word and encouraging their peers to apply. "We also have partnerships with microfinance institutions that have referred women who have already taken out consumer loans, so they then move on to the productive housing program through our partners, such as ADEMI Bank, among others," explains the representative from Habitat Dominicana.
Additionally, the organization has a promoter in the communities where the program operates. It also invites interested parties to apply through the website www.habitatdominicana.org, by completing the housing solutions form and answering their questions.
To qualify for the loan program, women must have a combined family income equivalent to 65,000 or 70,000 pesos, ensuring they can afford the monthly microloan payments. “It can’t exceed that amount, because they might go to a regular bank, and our program is specifically for people in need and is limited to serving those who require a helping hand or support because they may never have had access to banking services,” Vera explains.
Through financial companies, they are granted microcredit, while Habitat provides them with technical support, "where we advise the family on what they should do in their home, ensuring that they maximize that investment in the infrastructure part, that they use the correct materials, take into account the spaces, among other aspects.
“We want to continue growing, for which we need companies and volunteers to join the cause because as a non-profit institution we live off donations, therefore we need these companies to join us and collaborate to increase our impact at the community level and achieve a greater reach.”.
The executive noted that the country's housing deficit currently exceeds two million homes. Habitat Dominicana firmly believes in partnerships and that by joining forces, the chances of achieving its vision of providing a decent place to live for every human being increase. Join this worthy cause!.
