April 23, 2008

Year 3, Volume 2: Cañada de Gómez

Double Celebration on a National Holiday

On Saturday 25th of May, the neighbours or Cañada de Gómez in Santa Fe held a double celebration: the 196th anniversary of Argentina’s first National Government and the arrival of the first Global Village Team at Cañada de Gómez! These men and women, young and middle aged, with different professions and occupations, worked in the construction of homes included in the Lands Project, which counts with the support of Habitat for Humanity International and Citibank Argentina.

Local authorities, donors, staff and volunteers from the local office in Cañada de Gómez, together with Patricia Caviezel, Vice-President of the National Board of Directors of HFHA, held a simple welcome ceremony for the team from USA and Canada.

As usually happens on such occasions, the emotional note was given by the families. Claudia Walter and Sonia Mella de Torres spoke on behalf of the HFHA families, and thanked each member of the Global Village Team for their work and concern. With great simplicity, Claudia confessed that on the day of the team’s arrival she went to her house and cried out of sheer happiness: “I waited so many years to have my house, I could not believe my eyes… but I do not cry in public”.

Owing to the work done by the Global Village Team, the construction which would have taken weeks was achieved in only 8 days! This not only accelerates the rate of construction, it also helps reduce the cost of each house.

In the name of the families, HFHA, and the Cañada de Gómez community, we heartily thank each member of the team!

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