Habitat for Humanity Costa Rica
Habitat for Humanity Costa Rica -- Habitat for Humanity Int'l 1
Housing need in Costa Rica
Though Costa Rica has a fairly stable economy, large government deficits—due to interest payments on exorbitant internal debt—have undermined efforts to maintain the quality of social services. Inflation rates remain at more than 10 percent, while an estimated 700,000 people live in poverty and more than 222,000 live in extreme poverty.
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Habitat for Humanity in Costa Rica
In 1988, Habitat for Humanity began to work in the Costa Rican city of Esparza, building 50 houses in its first three years. In 1991, with the introduction of an ambitious government-housing program that provided houses for the poor, Habitat ceased construction in Costa Rica. In 1996, due to large cutbacks in the government program, and with an estimated 35 percent of the Costa Rican population still living in inadequate housing, Habitat for Humanity was invited to resume its work in San Ramón.
Today, more than a thousand homes have been built with the support of government, international churches, Habitat local businesses and Habitat affiliates. Hundreds more have been rehabilitated. Families also receive technical assistance and financial education. Habitat for Humanity Costa Rica constantly seeks ways to extend its reach further, creating more accessible solutions for families with fewer resources through initiatives such as “progressive” housing solutions, home rehabilitations, technical support, financial education, micro-enterprise for female heads of household and other projects.
Model projects
Habitat for Humanity Costa Rica supports several initiatives, in addition to traditional home construction.
Appropriate Social Interest Housing: This three year project will help 1,850 families through a combination of new housing, home improvements and access to land. Target population includes marginalized groups (women, immigrants, the elderly and disabled). This program also provides financial literacy training, home maintenance and community activities.
Enterprise for Female Heads of Household: This program allows low-income families who perform some type of income-generating activity from home, to adapt and increase their productivity, thereby generating additional income.
Financial Education: This project is aimed at educating and accompanying partner families in the planning and administration of their home economy. The manuals and methodology used are the result of a project designed by Habitat for Humanity International and financed by Citi Foundation. Through a series of workshops, families learn to administer their income and expenses, and learn to design a budget, analyze and control their expenses, and follow a savings plan. Families are also informed about the risks and advantages of taking out loans with Habitat for Humanity or other organizations.
Complete houses: In addition to the projects above, Habitat for Humanity Costa Rica continues to build complete homes. Homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor, helping to build their houses and the houses of others, together with volunteers. Their monthly payments go into a Local Rotating Fund, which allows the construction of new homes.
Home rehabs: This program is aimed at diminishing the qualitative housing deficit in the country. More than half of all the houses in Costa Rica need some type of repair, with low-income families being the population most affected by poor housing conditions.
Learn more about Habitat for Humanity in Latin America and the Caribbean.