100,000 Floors to Play On
The initiative
What is “100,000 Floors to Play On”?
Turn your company’s social commitment into long-term transformational impact.
Currently, nearly half of the households in Latin America and the Caribbean face a housing deficit, according to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB, 2024). In response, Habitat for Humanity, in partnership with the Inter-American Cement Federation (FICEM), launched “100,000 Floors to Play On” in 2022. This initiative seeks to replace dirt floors with concrete floors in vulnerable homes across the region.
Beyond building concrete floors, the initiative offers thousands of children in Latin America and the Caribbean the chance to play more safely inside their homes. Each floor represents a direct improvement in quality of life, a story of resilience, and a step toward a safer and more promising tomorrow.
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Our goal is to replace 100,000 dirt or deteriorated floors with concrete floors, improving the housing conditions of those who need it most.
Running from 2022 to 2028, the initiative focuses on promoting health, safety, and well-being for families, especially children, by creating more dignified and sustainable environments. Beyond infrastructure, we seek to strengthen community resilience and offer a brighter future to the people we serve.
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Why build floors in Latin America and the Caribbean?
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the housing deficit affects 50% of the population.
In 2022, at Habitat for Humanity Latin America and the Caribbean, we set out to improve the lives of families lacking adequate and healthy flooring. To achieve this, we analyzed data on the region’s housing deficit and reviewed studies that emphasize the importance of improving living conditions.
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB, 2024) estimates that at least 50 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean lack access to adequate housing. Many live in homes with dirt floors, facing health risks from parasites, bacteria, and insects that cause diseases such as diarrhea, respiratory infections, anemia, malnutrition, Chagas disease, and skin rashes. This challenge inspired the creation of “100,000 Floors to Play On.”
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In what ways does replacing a floor transform the lives of families?
Impact assessments conducted in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Nicaragua reveal the transformational power of the “100,000 Floors to Play On” initiative. Replacing dirt floors with concrete floors has a profound effect on families’ lives, boosting economic well-being and resilience to adverse events.
Our results show remarkable improvements: a significant increase in housing satisfaction, a greater perception of infrastructure quality, and an enhanced ability to cope with challenges such as flooding, illness, economic hardship, among others. Specifically, in the Dominican Republic, we observed a 239% increase in satisfaction with flooring, a 25% rise in overall housing satisfaction, and a 4% improvement in perceived infrastructure quality.
This success motivates us to continue conducting impact assessments as part of our commitment to real, lasting change. We will keep measuring results to ensure that “100,000 Floors to Play On” remains a true agent of transformation in vulnerable communities. Join our mission—donate today and help us build a better future, one floor at a time.
Sea parte del cambio
Turn your company’s social commitment into long-term transformational impact.
Learn how to join “100,000 Floors to Play On” and transform the lives of thousands of families
