Year 6, Vol.1: Family Stories, Santa Fe.

Mr. Sonzogni, who is in charge of the Provincial Energy Companyy in Recreo, Santa Fe, recently shared the following experience with our Local Coordinator in Santa Fe.

His Energy Company team went to carry out a routine electricity conection for last four houses built with Habitat for Humanity Argentina (HPHA) in Recreo. When they were in the middle of their assignment, it began to drizzle. Seeking shelter they found themselves under the roof of a HPHA homeowner, the Colman Family. One of the Coleman sons began chatting with them, and thanked them for giving his house light. To the surprise of each worker, the kid told them how proud he was of his new home... now that he could live in a house made of real materials, with no humidity, a room of his own... and how happy he was to be able to invite his friends from school home to study, something he had never been able to do before.

This conversation moved the workers, and even though in those conditions they would usually have suspended their work, this time they decided to continue and finish the connection so that the families could have electric energy as soon as possible. They felt it was the least they could do from their place and their situation with a safe job, a good income and their own confortable house, for these families who were starting a new stage in their lives.

The next day, the boss of the Energy company team told his wife and family what had happened. They reflected on how common this story probably was, and yet normally one would not stop to even notice such details because of the demanding work rhythm. Mr. Sonzogni came to thank HPHA for giving him the opportunity to experience the joy of families in need, working to improve their living conditions and find a place in society through their own effort and the help of volunteers.

Year 6, Vol.1: Building a Home Event

“Building a Home” Event

Between november the 5th and the 11th, Habitat for Humanity Argentina (HPHA) carried out an important building event called “Building a Home”. During this week, several local, national and international volunteers gathered their efforts in order to build the house of a family in need in the “Los Gallitos” neighbourhood, in the Lujan outskirts.

The remarkable result of this team work between volunteers and familys not only achieved the construction of a house for a family in need, but it also encouraged the community to participate in the alleviation of the problem of inadequate housing in Luján as well as in the rest of the country.

The event was related to our “At Home for a Home” campaign. This campaign was started by HPHA on a national level to build awareness amongst those living in decent homes, of the housing need in Argentina, and to give a clear message of hope by encouriging the action and the involvement of everyone in order to help more families to have a house. This was how “At Home for a Home” was able to obtain volunteers to participate in “Building a Home”.

The most moving part of this event was no doubt the evening when the families already living in houses built with HPHA, invited the volunteers “home” for dinner. This completed the cycle of our campaign: “At home for a home”. Volunteers and donations raised through dinners held in several homes around the country, allowed for the building and financing of a new home where a family who had not previously been able to invite friends “home for dinner” could now join the “At home for a home” campaign!

Some of the volunteers dedicated to the construction came from the Global Village Programme, and they traveled all the way to our country from USA, Canada and Great Britain. Each of them showed their strong commitment by paying all of their expenses with the only aim of participating in the event. Volunteers form Santa Fe and Buenos Aires also were part of “Building for a Home”, incluiding a group of employees from Accenture Argentina.

There was also a group of logistics volunteers who helped with activities that supported the construction, such as a group of ladies form the Anglican Church who prepared some delicious home made cakes for the volunteers.

“Building a Home” concluded on November the 11th with a closing event in which participated the staff from HPHA, families, volunteers, donors, and local colaborators. Before starting lunch a very memorable balloon release was made, with hope messages writen by the people that took part of the whole activity and gave to the event a unique ending.

“At home for a home” is an ongoing campaign... Please contact us if you wish to organize a dinner in your home to benefit those who still do not have a home to comunicacion@hpha.org.ar

Year 6, Vol.1: End of the Year Party in Santa Fe

More than 170 people attende th End of Year Party in Habitat for Humanity Argentina (HPHA) Santa Fe.

Amongst those present there were homeowner families from Santa Fe’s seven projects, as well as employees, donors, national and international volunteers. It was a great opportunity for everyone to get to know each other, strengthen bonds, and toast for a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The occasion also strengthened the bonds between staff and beneficiary families from our older projects, such as “Rebuilding Santa Fe House by House”, a special project that enabled the building of six houses for families who had lost everything in the floods and finally led to the opening of the Santa Fe Local Office.

Everyone had a pleasant and entertaining evening. At first an ice-breaking “Karaoke” was set up. Even the shyest guests had fun singing! Kids also had a great time, since they were able to play in a special games area. They were entertained with games, songs and other surprises by the voluntary coordinators of the “Little Bricks” Project (This project aims to educate homeowner family’s children about the various aspects of building and later taking care of their new home).

Afterwards videos were screened and the families from the more recent HPHA programmes were able to see the houses built in the first projects. It was most moving, as everyone watched the progress of construction of variuos houses, including the volunteers and families who built them – many of whom came from across the world.

The evening included words from the National Director Ana Cutts who spoke of the meaning of Christmas, the Holy Family and the blessings of a home. By way of conclusion, each family lit a candle and offered three reasons of praise or prayer.

To end the evening, glasses were raised to celebrate the reunion of sharing the mission to bring adecuate housing to all families.

Year 6, Vol.1: End of the Year in Luján

Another Year: More Houses, More Families, More Hope. End of the Year and “Little Bricks” Project in Luján. By Andrea Di Lucca (Lujan volunteer from Canada).

A small house with pink walls, a yellow roof, blue windows, a green door, many flowers and candy made trees, and the smile of a kid showing with pride to his family what he just had made... this is the image that comes to my mind when I think of the end of the year we organized for all the families from Habitat for Humanity Argentina in Luján.

On November the 17th we invited each family to spend some time with the aim of strengthening bonds and letting them get to know each other in a festive atmosphere. We also wanted to go over the topics we covered in the first months of the “Little Bricks” Project and make sure each child was aware of the fact that everyone has the right to have access to a house.

When the families came into the office, they found out that it has been transformed with the Christmas spirit: there were lights, a decorated Christmas tree and Christmas carols. On one side, families could see an exposition of pictures with examples of the activities in the “Little Bricks” project. On the other, a space for the kids, with toys and materials for them to make a Christmas card.

Little by little, each family came with food and drinks to share. The meal was something unforgettable! After a few words of welcome, we got started with the party activities. With wafer and candy, each kid built a small house with their parents help. Everyone had the same materials, but each house came out different and unique. When the activity was over we could appreciate many houses of different colours, like a rainbow of housing... an image that I shall never forget.

After the activity we got started with the party. We went out to the yard and had some cake, cookies, and other delicious deserts. Mariana Ballesteros, who was then the coordinator of the HPHA office in Luján, gave a speech about the successes in Habitat during the year and thanked all the families and the staff for all their work and enthusiasm.

It was a really nice moment when we invited all the kids that participated in “Little Bricks” to say some words about their experience in the workshops. It was something very special for them too to be able to tell us about their favourite activities and what they have learned in them.

In the end, we handed out Christmas bags to each family that had been donated by members of the Anglican Church. This was an amazing gesture by families from the City of Buenos Aires to families in Lujan, with a personalized Christmas Card reading “De una familia a otra” (From one family to another)

All in all, the end of the year gave us a great opportunity to gather all the families and staff members of HPHA Luján in a warm and festive atmosphere. There was a special energy in the office that afternoon and anyone could tell that we were all really happy from being there celebrating Habitat and everything that each family had accomplished. The end of the year was my last day as a volunteer in Luján and I feel really lucky of having the chance of being able to be there next to all the families and the staff. That afternoon I realized that Habitat for Humanity Argentina is not only building homes... it is also building hope and a huge family of people who share the same vision: that every family should have access to a simple, healthy, safe and affordable house and that we can all together help to make this possible. Yes, a lot of effort and work is required... but a change is possible. With events like “A year More”, we celebrate the successes and we encourage people to keep working with the mission of building loving and caring communities.

Year 6, Vol.1: Assisted Rents

It is certainly not news to anyone that there are a large number of families living in poverty housing in Argentina. Neither would it come as a surprise to hear the statistics of people living below the poverty line... However, it may surprise you to know that in our city of Buenos Aires there are thousands of families living in squalid conditions in transitory cheap hotels, paying rates comparable to normal rents, whilst a considerable number of buildings remain empty. There are some 18,000 people in these conditions.... many of whose only obstacle to decent living conditions are legal requirements or discrimination of a marginalized population.

Having analysed this situation, Habitat for Humanity Argentina (HPHA) is offering a special service to these families, called “Assisted Rents”. This will provide an immediate solution for families with sufficient income to rent, but who today are limited to squalid hotels, boarding houses and other inadaquate accommodations.

The Assisted Rents project, which will mostly be taking place in the southern part of the City of Buenos Aires, seeks to act as a bridge between the property owners and the huge demand by the families living in unacceptable conditions with no possibility of improving their situation and for whom not having a formal guarantee to be eligible for a rent is an obstacle. Its aims are not transitory populations but families who wish to settle in the city. Assisted Rents will consist in creating a connection between home owners and future tenants. HPHA’s will assume the role of tutor and guarantee of the contract and will provde education and follow up with the family.

Even though this is not a final solution, HPHA tries to soothe the exclusion of families who are marginalized because of their origin or current living place, while at the same time providing trust by keeping track of the fulfilment of the contract. Therefore, Assisted Rents would be the immediate habitat solution that will tend to raise the living conditions of those who, because of different reasons, do not have access to a proper house and don’t have a choice other than to live in precarious and overcrowding conditions. Its impact remains in the fact that it allows to overcome the current situation using resources that are already available in society, immediately granting the access to a safe and healthy place to live in to the destinatary families of the programme.

The proposal aims to help those families who are excluded from the rent and property market: it is a project of temporary tutoring aimed at helping the family on its path towards a sustainable housing solution. As in all its programmes, HPHA will offer a “More than Rentals” programme, which includes training and educational workshops that will try to advise and guide families in thinking ahead, beyond their years of renting.

HPHA hopes to encourage owners of properties in the southern part of town to join this project. Its goal is to add new appartments to the already insufficient market. In order to do this, HPHA will try to convince owners who are afraid or unable to offer their unused properties for rent. The owners will receive the assurance of a carefully selected tenant whose interest in continuing along the “More than Rents” programme will encourage adequate care of the property. Where properties are not up to standard due to lack of use, HPHA foresees special projects to negotiate renovation as part of the rent agreement..

If you have an unused property or one you would like to offer in rent through this project, please contact us to: alquileres@hpha.org.ar

Year 6, Vol.1: Church Meeting

The first Church Meeting was organized by Habitat for Humanity Argentina (HPHA) and held in Villa Maristas, Luján during March the 29th and 30th with a wonderful turnout.

The aim of the meeting was to let everyone know the work and mission of HPHA, as well as to explore new possibilities in which churches and HPHA could work together.

23 members of different Christian denominations participated and contributed to a warm, fraternal atmosphere. The representatives of the churches - Catholics, Evangelicals, Protestants and member of the Armenian Orthodox Church, the Adventist Church and the National Baptist Convention- came from Mendoza, Córdoba, Santa Fe and Buenos Aires.

The union of all those present was moving. There was no mention of various differences or denominations, but one common spirit to adhere to the proposal of HPHA of highlighting the similarities between each other and showing the strong social commitment that everybody had in common.

The meeting started on Saturday afternoon with some songs of praise. After that a creative game provided the opportunity for participants to get to know each other and the work of each Church and community.

The first day was taken up by workshops, including a thorough overview of HPHA’s mission and work. During the afternoon, certain proposals were presented whereby HPHA invited the Churches to get involved with their work. This inspired an animated discussion where all were able to voice their opinions about the possible ways in which –from churches as well as from each individual- they could get involved in HPHA’s mission.

To end the day, an informal “sing-along” was led by a Christian Folklore group. Many were clearly anxious for Sunday in order to experience the construction first hand!

Sunday got started with songs and a devotional. After that, every participant had the chance to show what they had learned the day before by participating in a construction brigade in the Farías Valderrama family. In the construction place, the House Leaders and other volunteers assigned the activities each one had to do and handed the tools and security elements to everyone. The participants started working with lots of enthusiasm: in each of them you could see the great sense of satisfaction of being able to put their faith in action. Thanks to the hard work of this brigade, a lot of progress was made in the construction of the house of this family in need.

The meeting ended with a delicious and simple meal. After which came the evaluation by each participant, and the thanks and acknowledgements: assistance certificates and souvenirs were handed out. A special appreciation was voiced by participants of the respect and care shown to volunteers throughout, and in particular relating to security on the worksite. Finally, and visibly moved, the homeowners Juan and Eva, thanked everyone for their help and asked Father Daniel Echeverría –one of the participants of the meeting- to bless their new home. Everyone joined in this prayer led by a Catholic priest, and then followed the lead of an Evangelical pastor in a memorable and spontaneous song.