HPHA wishes you a Merry Christmas!

ACDI and HPHA: Working Together in Santa Fe

Hábitat para la Humanidad Argentina (HPHA) continues to work intensively by implementing new projects in the province of Santa Fe. Currently HPHA is implementing a joint project with the Asociación Cultural para el Desarrollo Integral (ACDI -Cultural Association for Comprehensive Development- www.acdi.org.ar), a social cooperation institution which promotes social and economic development in rural and urban areas.

The aim of this collaborative effort between HPHA and ACDI is to generate sustainable cultural change that will lead to social development and will allow families to access adequate housing. To meet this goal, both organizations are carrying out a survey to determine the context and existing housing situation in the neighbourhoods of Villa del Parque, Barranquitas Oeste y Villa Oculta, in the City of Santa Fe. The second step will include the implementation by HPHA of the project “Developing Neighbourhoods”, which is characterized by combining several methodologies for the production of housing solutions, including “Habitat Tent”, “Seed House” and “Incremental Improvements.”

This partnership represents a way of improving and furthering the outreach of the work that HPHA carries out in Santa Fe. It will offer more families currently living in inadequate conditions the opportunity to access a solution to their housing problem.

Two volunteers walking in Santa Fe.

125 Horas para la Patagonia (125 Hours for Patagonia)

In our last post, we wrote about our efforts in the town of Ingeniero Jacobacci in Rio Negro, Patagonia. Briefly, this project consists of repairing roofs in an area severely affected by the ash from the Puyehue´s volcano across the Andes, in Chile. The July eruption is still causing clouds of ash across land as far as Buenos Aires. Following our first minor repairs, Just One Planet Foundation organized “125 hours for Patagonia” a 5 days + 125 hours on- line contest among three selected organizations, that have been assisting the people of Patagonia deal with the ashes of Volcano Puyehue. These Organizations, Hábitat para la Humanidad Argentina, Cruzada Patagónica and Reconstruyendo Angostura, competed for a grand prize of AR $200,000 (around U$D 47,000). There was also prizes for second and third place, AR $130,000 (around U$D 30,500) and AR $100,000 (around U$D 23,500) respectively.
From 6:00pm September 20th to 11:00pm September 25th, people could vote through a Facebook application, and express support for one of three organizations to help Patagonia recover from effects of the ashes of Volcano Puyehue. Voters could also donate and each donation would account for three votes.
Hábitat para la Humanidad Argentina based this campaign on a mobilization strategy, trying to reach volunteers and supporters with advertisement and publicity made both via social networks (Facebook and Twitter) and via classic means (email, web, etc.). We came a respectable 3rd place, and are pleased to receive the $100,000 peso prize to repair 21 roofs in Ing. Jacobacci. This was an excellent opportunity to become better known in Argentina. Throughout the 125 hours of campaign, more than 50,000 people came into contact with HPHA and its efforts in Patagonia. As a result, HPHA doubled the number of followers of the Facebook page, which will allow HPHA a larger base from which to rally support. Also, in addition, to the 100,000 prize, an extra $1,025 pesos was donated by 41 people.
These are very significant achievements for Hábitat para la Humanidad Argentina, and we would like to thank everyone who voted for us! All the Facebook shares, retweets and mentions, helped HPHA get to where it is today! More visibility leads to more funding, more volunteers and more awareness, which allows HPHA to achieve its mission of helping more families in Argentina have adequate housing, and for that HPHA cannot sincerely thank you enough for your support!

Volunteer sealing cracks between the walls and windows.

125 para la Patagonia logo.

 

Add your Brick!

We here at HPHA HQ are very much excited about our upcoming construction event “Seeds of Hope.” It will take place between September 11-17 in the settlement of 22 de Enero in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of La Matanza.  We hope to build three seed homes during the six day period!

If you cannot be physically present for the construction, through our event “Brick by Brick,” you can digitally help us construct a home! Each brick costs $5 (USD) or $20 (ARG Pesos) each. So, come on and add your brick! Just click at the following link https://www.resnonverba.org/forms/in/habitathumanidad/1/english/ and begin building away!

Fantastic Photos from our Former Volunteer Megan Kaseburg!

During her time at Hábitat para la Humanidad Argentina (HPHA), our former volunteer, Megan Kaseburg, took some great photos while she was on site. Please enjoy the photos below and learn a bit more about us, our projects, and our progress here at HPHA.

Description of Photos Taken First Row (from left to right): 1. Family receiving Good Payment Certificate. 2. HPHA Director Ana Cutts congratulating some new HPHA home owners. 3. The wooden shack on the left is typical of the housing issues that HPHA is trying to eradicate.

Description of Photos Taken Bottom Row (from left to right): Door of our La Boca home, which is part of our reusing of urban spaces program. 2. This bathroom was shared by 20 people. An issue HPHA is working to resolve. 3. Some members of our team at our La Boca home, (from right to left) Ana Cutts, Andrés Madaina, Laurent Guillot, and Sofía Solari.

Línea Sur Rionegro Relief Effort

The Puyehue Volcano located in Chile began erupting on June 3rd 2011.One of the parts most heavily affected by the ashes has been the area known as Línea Sur in the province of Rio Negro, specifically many towns between Los Menucos and Ingeniero Jacobacci.

 Car covered in ash.

Habitat for Humanity Argentina began monitoring the situation early June and by July 9th a response team of volunteers had been dispatched to the town of Ingeniero Jacobacci, as a final destination.

Volunteer sealing cracks.

The response team’s mission was done in phases. First, they evaluated the damage and needs of the affected communities. Secondly, using the evaluation, proposed and executed a project that would allow for the most effective intervention in the area.

Volunteers sweeping the ash to a collective location.

Until July 18th, the team worked in relieving three neighborhoods  on the periphery of Ingeniero Jacobacci named El Faldeo, Estadio, and Ceferino. They also relieved a 30km hamlet known as Atraico.

The team was able to relieve some of the effects of the ashes. Preventative measures to stop ash from further seeping in were taken on 38 homes with the sealing of apertures, windows, and grates with materials such as expanding polyeurathene, duct tape, draught excluders, and plastic nylon.

Volunteer using duct tape to seal up window.

We would like to thank our donors for the contributions that made this mission possible. Jerónimo, Sofía, y Olivia Velez $500 (ARG Pesos), Vanina Negri and Martín Rimoldi $1312 (ARG Pesos) and 3M donated $100 (USD) in masks and protective gloves. Our volunteers also deserve a huge thank you for their time and efforts. They are Ana Della Bella (Content Production), Vanina Negri (Transportation Contact), Mariana Lipori (Production of Cartographic Information), Juan Aversa y Susana Ryder (Training for the Previous Position), Alejandro Ormeño y Paulina Tovillas.

Participate in the HPHA Construction Event “Seeds of Hope” in September 2011!

Volunteer through “At Home for a Home” or Support Us!

Volunteer through “At Home for a Home”

We invite you to be part of our campaign to defend the problem of millions of families without adequate housing and to share concrete ways in which each person can contribute, whether as a donor or a volunteer. Become a host of “At Home for a Home” and you will receive a Toolkit (signs, brochures, souvenirs, etc) with recommendations on how to follow through with your meeting.

If you are interested in participating, write to international@hpha.org.ar and help us so that a simple meeting between friends transforms into a healthy house for a family in need.

Photos left to right: Fine tea and tea cups displayed for Connie’s event; Swiss Cheese Fondue for At Home for a Home; Connie Ledesma, HPHA Resource Development Coordinator and guests at her At Home for a Home event, “Tea and Scones”

Support us with your donation

HPHA’s Homes Fund is a collection of donantions given by individuals or institutions throughout the course of one year. The donations to the Homes Fund are used at the organization’s discretion to support our work aimed at relieving the problem of inadequate housing.

Each contribution helps a family improve their quality of life. Donate by our secure form on the internet or by contacting ddrr@hpha.org.ar.

Volunteer Spotlight: Sarah Wattie, International Resource Development

Sarah Wattie worked for over a year in her native New Zealand in order to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity Argentina (HPHA). While she wanted an experience that would challenge her faith, Sarah admits, “I had no idea what to expect.” Never one to shy away from a challenge, Sarah threw herself into learning more about HPHA’s work and the inadequate living situations confronting many Argentines. In the more humble neighborhoods where HPHA works, Sarah has been impressed by the attitude and the resilience of the families’ she has encountered, “While these families don’t have everything they need in terms of housing, they have a lot in the sense of who they are.”

Characteristically idealistic, Sarah has especially enjoyed working with like-minded people at HPHA; “It is pleasure to work everyday in an organization where people are truly passionate about what they do.” Sarah’s commitment to HPHA´s cause is exemplary, and she credits her faith for helping her remain positive in the face of day-to-day difficulties, “It’s fulfilling when you volunteer because you are making a commitment to others.”

If you are interesting in participating in our International Volunteer Program, please contact voluntariado_internacional@hpha.org.ar. All positions require at least a three-month time commitment and an intermediate level of Spanish.

By Megan Kaseburg

Corporate Brigades to “22 de Enero,” La Matanza

On 16 May 2011 the 5^th corporate team from Novartis attended the community of “22 de Enero” in La Matanza, Buenos Aires Province, as a part of their annual day in the community. The group assisted the family of Maria Lourdes Pintos and Gustavo Moreno to begin to construct a bathroom, financed through an interest-free loan from funds of the HPHA rotating-fund, and also assisted the family of Daniel and Rosa Caro-Fretes to paint their new seed home. Nicole, responsible for HPHA Local Donors, commented that; “it was a great day!  I went home painted from head to toe with splashes of salmon colour, but happy we were able to help Daniel and his family paint their new home.” Additional corporate teams from Daimler and Pago Facil Buenos Aires attended the community on 8, 9 and 11 June 2011 to further the construction of seed homes and housing improvements in the region.

Photos top to bottom: Daimer Corporate Team in front of the seed house of Victor and Rosanna in “22 de Enero,” La Matanza; Novartis volunteers collecting earth to fill the cement base of the seed house; Volunteer from Novartis Corporate Brigade working on Daniel & Rosa’s seed house in “22 de Enero,” La Matanza