Casitas Project makes housing rights a reality
by Susan Frisbie
Development & Marketing Director
In 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations created the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, outlining the fundamental rights of men and women worldwide. While there is no doubt that many member nations, including our own, have violated articles in the declaration, WCCN believes that organizations like ours are obligated to step in where governments are unwilling or unable.
A casita owner poses in front of her home. The sign in the window advertises the small business she runs out of her house. Photo provided by Habitar.
One of the rights in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights was the right to adequate housing. In 2004, WCCN began working on housing issues in Nicaragua, realizing that poverty and housing are inextricably linked. Adequate housing conditions not only provide a secure roof over one’s head, they are essential to transforming neglected neighborhoods into thriving communities. Neighborhoods with inadequate living conditions are not only costly in terms of public health, they are more likely to suffer from higher crime rates and provide a poor learning environment in substandard educational facilities.
This is why WCCN partners with Habitar, a non-profit housing organization based in Managua, by managing a rotating fund called PROMEVI. Through PROMEVI’s first initiative, families living in some of Managua’s poorest neighborhoods receive small loans to install improved sanitary units (i.e. sinks, showers, toilets, etc.) in their homes. Since PROMEVI’s inception, dozens of families have directly benefited from these loans. Most of them are headed by single mothers.
WCCN is proud to have expanded PROMEVI in 2008 by beginning a new initiative called the Casitas (Little Houses) Project. We committed to help fund the installation of 40 casitas in Grenada and Lomas de Guadalupe, two of the poorest neighborhoods in Managua. They are also communities ready to reclaim their dignity by organizing and taking a community development approach to the Casitas Project. Each casita will measure 18 square meters and will be made of prefabricated concrete walls and covered with a zinc roof. They will have floors made of reinforced concrete and metal-framed windows and doors.
Participants are organized into five-person brigades to construct the casitas on a foundation that participants are required to prepare. Because the Casitas Project is committed to taking a holistic approach, the participants also contribute to an effort to build common spaces within the neighborhoods, such as parks and community centers.
Each casita has a value of approximately $2,400. Participants in the project are responsible for paying $600 over four years and contributing $120 worth of sweat equity. The remaining value is subsidized through grants Habitar has secured. Before fully participating in the project, participants must demonstrate the ability to save $15 per month for six months. When the trial period is completed, the participants receive a loan from PROMEVI. Over the next 48 months, they will save $15 a month to pay off their loan.
Studies show that 73% of Managua’s homes are in unsafe and precarious condition. This shocking figure underscores the need for adequate housing among Nicaraguans. Because micro-entrepreneurs often run their businesses from their homes, casitas also facilitate employment opportunities for their owners. Although casitas are very modest homes, their colorful facades and sturdy construction are a source of great pride for communities that were once full of homes made of scrap and makeshift materials.
The Casitas Project is not just about building houses, but also about building communities. This would not be possible without your help. PROMEVI’s loans are funded through the generous donations of WCCN members. We hope you will help make a dent in Nicaragua’s profound housing problem. To do so, visit www.wccnica.org, or use the reply form on page 11, indicating that you would like your donation to go to the Casitas Project.
As you probably recall, on September 4, 2007, Hurricane Felix ravaged Nicaragua’s Atlantic Coast, killing over 100 people and leaving scores of families homeless. Because of our relationship with Habitar, a member of an umbrella housing organization called the Nicaraguan Housing Network, we were able to help in the reconstruction of homes lost in the hurricane. We thank all of our members that generously donated to this cause. Your support helped build new homes (like the one to the left) in the Miskito community of Auyha Pihni. Photo provided by Habitar.