Women who upgrade housing and improve health in Argentina
Meet two women who took action to build their own home bathrooms and improve their family’s health.
For busy families like Patricia’s, home should be a place of rest and safety. But for years, their home in Misiones, Argentina, put their health at risk.
Like millions across the South American country, Patricia’s family didn’t have an adequate bathroom. The family of five had no shower, sink faucet or toilet tank and relied on buckets for everyday hygiene, leaving the family vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.
Patricia was determined to provide a functional bathroom for her family, so she partnered with Habitat Argentina. Habitat paired Patricia with the training and materials she needed; equipped with the right tools, she installed a full bathroom system herself.
Thanks to the upgrades, the family now lives in a home that truly supports their well-being.
“If I could do it, many others can, too,” Patricia says — and across Argentina, with Habitat’s help, they are.
Simple upgrades with lasting health benefits
Elsewhere in Misiones, Alejandra and her family faced strikingly similar challenges to Patricia’s. Their home also had no proper bathroom and growing health concerns. To improve her four daughters’ quality of life, Alejandra partnered with Habitat.
“There are many girls who don’t have the benefit of having a bathroom, of privacy,” Alejandra says. “Of course, this has a huge impact on women.”
Research: Adequate housing is critical for women’s health
Our research shows women and girls are disproportionately impacted by unsafe living conditions and that targeted improvements have the power to improve women’s health.
Our Home Equals campaign advocates for upgrades — like those Alejandra and Patricia made — which could help prevent 20 million illnesses globally in just one year.
Homes have a huge impact on our well-being. When residents partner with us to improve their living conditions, the health benefits are clear, especially for women. And when homes are safer and equipped with basic services, families and entire communities benefit.
Learn more about the ways we advocate for healthy housing through Home Equals and see our research.
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