Because this is urgent.
More than 170 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean live in poverty. In the continent’s low-income settlements, many families live in homes with dirt floors and walls made of cardboard, nylon, wood, and sheet metal. The lack of access to basic rights is a daily crisis, and looking the other way is not an option for us.
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In light of this situation, emergency housing provides a quick and tangible solution. Made of prefabricated wood, these homes can be built in just one weekend by families and volunteers.
A home can change everything. It provides shelter, privacy, safety, and protection from the rain. It alleviates overcrowding in a household, improves sleep, reduces stress, and transforms relationships within the home. It is the first step toward a family having access to a safe place where studying, working, or taking care of one’s health are no longer impossible; it is the beginning of a more dignified life.
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“This house restored the human dignity that had once been taken from us (…) It meant having our own decent home for the first time, being able to keep dreaming, saying ‘yes, we can,’ and moving forward.” – Kate, a resident of Colombia.
This is urgent. It can't wait. But we can only overcome this reality if we all get involved. Because major transformations don't happen out of nowhere. They don't happen on their own.
If this situation outrages you, join us in building a Latin America and the Caribbean where no one has to live on a dirt floor here.
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Written by Lucía Carabelli