In its 36 years of presence in the country, Habitat says it has managed to build or improve the housing of 196,455 people and has carried out around 39,289 housing solutions.
SANTO DOMINGO.- According to the Inter-American Development Bank, nearly 50% of homes in Latin America and the Caribbean are built with poor quality materials, lack access to drinking water, and are located on land that does not belong to the families.
In addition to this situation, these homes also lack toilets and showers and have dirt floors. 1.8 billion people worldwide are deprived of one of the fundamental rights to which every person should have access.
That is why, on the occasion of World Habitat Day, last October 3, Habitat for Humanity joined the United Nations to celebrate the date and remember that decent, resilient and safe housing is a fundamental human right.
As part of this celebration, Habitat Dominicana held the virtual discussion "Safe Housing," with the aim of raising awareness about the importance of housing, the need for housing solutions to meet population growth, the insecurity of vulnerable housing in the country, and collaboration in building homes with safe, resilient, and sustainable spaces for families in the Dominican Republic.
A press release from Habitat Dominicana reports that the event featured presentations by Julissa Báez, executive director of the Dominican Association of Portland Cement Producers (Adocem); architect Luis Gabriel Ardila, professor at the School of Architecture and Design of PUCMM, Pontifical Catholic University Madre y Maestra; engineer Rosivanna Ruiz, director of construction and projects at the Ministry of Housing and Buildings (MIVED); and representing Habitat Dominicana, engineer Francis Medina, construction and risk management coordinator.
All were experts in construction, with extensive experience in social housing. The event was moderated by architect Betsaida Santana, program manager at 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 thrive. As an organization, we are very pleased that this meeting took place within the framework of World Habitat Day. The challenges are many, and we hope that more people will join our cause and that we can continue building together to empower people through housing,” said Cesarina Fabian, National Director of Habitat Dominican Republic.
Habitat for Humanity's mandate is to work on reducing vulnerabilities and building resilient communities through the integration of housing initiatives to provide basic sanitation services such as roofs and floors.
Hurricane Fiona
Following Hurricane Fiona's passage through the country, hundreds of families were left homeless, as their homes were destroyed by the storm.
In response, Habitat for Humanity Dominican Republic has been coordinating the inter-institutional effort to rebuild, support, and assist the affected families.
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 main space a family has because it offers protection against the storm and is a refuge to be safe.
In its 36 years in the country, Habitat for Humanity says it has built or improved homes for 196,455 people and implemented approximately 39,289 housing solutions. It works to ensure that everyone has a decent place to live through programs focused on microfinance for housing, minimizing risk, and increasing disaster response.
"It has empowered families to create 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 southern Georgia, USA. The organization has grown into a non-profit focused on affordable housing, working in all 50 US states and more than 70 countries worldwide. Today, more than 39 million people around the world have a safe place to call home thanks to Habitat's work.
Families or individuals in need partner with Habitat to build or improve a place to call home. In fiscal year 2021, Habitat helped improve the housing conditions of more than 4.2 million people worldwide, 1.4 million of whom 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
