June 18, 2009

Adapting to new realities

When confronting a complex social and economical climate, every organization from the civil society needs to adapt to the new financial context and overcome the scarcity of resources through new, creative and economical solutions which are still sustainable.

This is why Habitat for Humanity Argentina (HPHA) continues searching for innovative ways and cooperation with other organizations for each project, as well as receiving new volunteers, in order to sustain our work and the impact of our partner families.

The projects being developed during the first semester of this year are a response to the clear challenges the socio-economic context of our country presents. The Disaster Reponse in Tartagal project, managed by volunteers with the support of associations and donors, allowed us to reach more than 70 families by helping them clean their homes, supporting them and being present with them. The building acquired for “Recycling Urban Houses” in the City of Buenos Aires represents a significant step in the quest for sustainable urban solutions. The incremental improvement project “subsidized” in Santa Fe, whose funds were gathered by the families themselves, is a clear example on how important results can be achieved by fostering solidarity among communities.

We invite everyone who would like to join us once again, so that we can jointly help low-income families move forward at this very difficult moment.

Ana Cutts, National Director.

Disaster Response in Tartagal


Between February 28th and March 22nd HPHA volunteers were serving in Tartagal, Salta, coordinating the project for disaster response implemented by the organization in that locality after the landslide. With their support and the local community’s, the conditions of 74 houses from five of the high risk neighborhoods were improved.

Once the initial critical moments of the disaster came to an end, HPHA volunteers supported the families of the affected area with the process of returning to their homes. The interdisciplinary team included eight volunteers who worked together with a local group of volunteers, helping with cleaning tasks and supporting the families that were most in need among those affected.

On April 23rd a presentation that acknowledged the team work which enabled the project to take flight was held with the participation of volunteers, other organizations, HPHA staff and the National Board. Volunteers of the Disaster Response team prepared a video with pictures that they shared with the audience and could reflect the importance of the team work.

This project could not have been carried out without the donations from the “Humanitarian International Services Group” and from all the donors who contributed to the fund raising campaign through a bank account. The work carried out by HPHA was also made possible with support from Samaritana Stock Exchange, FUCRIBA, Pluspetrol, Clorox, Asociana and local churches.

“Recovering Urban Homes” now has a building


HPHA has recently bought a building in La Boca in order to get the “Recycling Urban Homes” program off the ground. With a studio-construction company already chosen to manage the project, the only step left is to start the construction!

“Recycling Urban Homes” represents an important advancement in HPHA’s work in the city of Buenos Aires. According to the United Nations, the human right to live in an adequate house means having access to a safe place to be warm, and having adequate space, security, illumination and ventilation, basic infrastructure and adequate resources with basic services, all of this at a reasonable cost”. Clearly, in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, as well as in other parts of the country, this human right is not respected.

The panorama that unfolds before our eyes, day by day, is hundreds of people living in precarious shacks made out of corrugated iron and cardboard, houses taken by groups of families living in overcrowded conditions, slums growing to the sky, people living in unacceptable conditions in hotels, guest houses and tenement houses, and hundreds living on the streets.

In addition to the physical conditions, there exists lack of hygiene, security and privacy, and these populations are excluded, as the city prefers to hide behind facades of antique buildings which are seriously deteriorated. With the “Recycling Urban Homes” project HPHA tries to transform these buildings into simple, safe, and healthy homes.

Families help more families


The families from the “Post flood repairing” project that took place in May 2007 in Santa Fe, paid an additional donation with each monthly installment which entered a fund that allowed HPHA to help a family in extreme need, that was affected by the floodings, with an incremental improvement. Thanks to them, the Ponce de León-Orduña family could get started, with the help of local volunteers, with the construction that will improve their house.

The Ponce de León-Orduña family lives in very humble conditions in a shack made out of precarious material. The head of the family suffers from a physical disability and if it weren’t for the help from the other Habitat families, they wouldn’t have been able to have the opportunity of improving their house because their income is not high enough to access a credit from HPHA.

Therefore, once again solidarity showed powerful results. The families from the “Post flood repairing” project built “More than houses”: with their effort and payment of monthly installments they have achieved a housing solution for themselves, for the families that will come later and for one more family. And they have sent a message of hope to the rest of society…

HPHA receives HPH Bolivia


Between April 24th and 28th HPHA received a group of staff and some volunteers from Habitat for Humanity Bolivia, with the goal of exchanging experiences. Unexpectedly, HPH Bolivia also brought very good news to the country: they had designated their 29,265 US$ tithe to HPHA.

HPH Bolivia’s visit in Argentina had a number of different moments of exchange between both teams. The experience started with a volunteer brigade in Luján, in which both Argentines and Bolivians joined efforts to help a family to build their home. The following day they went to the 22 de enero neighborhood in La Matanza, where HPHA has the “Incremental Improvement” project. There, they visited a group of their compatriots who invited them to a Bolivian community radio from the area to participate in an interview and to take the opportunity to spread Habitat’s mission.

The last day the group assisted a reception prepared by the Bolivian Ambassador, María Leonor Arauco Lemaitre. After that, a workshop was held so that the different areas from both organizations could exchange experiences. Everyone agreed to keep working together in common subjects, such as some projects in the North of Argentina and Southern Bolivia related to the chagas disease, and both made a commitment to stay in contact virtually.


At night, a farewell dinner was prepared and hosted by a volunteer from the National Board. Habitat for Humanity Bolivia’s National Director, Tito Lima Vacaflor, took the opportunity to hand over the tithe, represented in a delicate wooden engraving. HPHA’s National Director and National Board received it with great emotion, as it represents the opportunity to continue reaching more families.

Brief News

- Share your experience: We invite you to share your experience with HPHA by contacting comunicacion@hpha.org.ar

Read Paula Matheo's experiencie (volunteer in the “Little Bricks” workshop and part of the House Leaders Team)

- Habitat for Humanity International’s President in Argentina: Ron Terwilliger, HPHI volunteer and acknowledged estate agent developer, was in Argentina between February 9th and 10th, learning about HPHA’s programs. He also took the chance to meet with the United States Chamber of Commerce in Argentina (AMCHAM) and with the Construction Chamber of Argentina, with the goal of inviting the corporative sector to face the serious housing problem in the country.

- Brigades that involve the community: in March a brigade from St. Luke’s Church in Michigan, supported by Thrivent Financial, USA, was in Recreo, Santa Fe. In addition to helping families with the construction of their houses, the 31 volunteers contributed with materials and labor to paint a high school in an indigenous neighborhood while working together with the students. Furthermore, five professional doctors and therapists from the volunteer team exchanged experiences with the workers from the local community clinics.

- Students raise funds for a brigade: students from the Lincoln School in Buenos Aires organized a “dodge ball” tournament in order to raise funds to participate on a brigade with HPHA. Thanks to this event, 16 high school students were able to go to Recreo, Santa Fe and help families with the construction of their houses.

- Habitat changed habitat: HPHA’s National Office moved to Esmeralda 3430, Florida, Provincia de Buenos Aires (B1604DHH). The new phone numbers are (54 11) 4760-5810 and 4859-0154.

Serving others


By Paula Matheos

“Serving others is the wisest, smartest and most practical way of serving oneself.”
Bernabé Tierno

I was marveled at finding in one quote, the essence of what has led me to make certain decisions about my way of life through all of these years. Thanks to this Spanish author and psychologist I can summarize today so many feelings and internal needs that I express through the action for others. My life’s pillar has been and is my family, to whom I dedicate a big part of my energy. My labor activities, in the health area as well as in designing decoration elements, are also directed to people’s needs.

Habitat for Humanity Argentina came into my life to complete the circle of “serving” and transcend the limits of my home and work. Side by side next to families who dream with a housing solution, who fight day after day to turn their walls into the home they have always sought, allows me to renew the hope of more children growing with more than just their basic needs covered: that they can wake up, get together with their loved ones and dream with new challenges. In each of them I see a new person that will grow with the conviction of knowing that serving and helping others gives sense to our lives.

*Paula Matheos is a volunteer in the “Little Bricks” workshop and part of the House Leaders Team at Habitat for Humanity Argentina.