16 voices
Myriam, Ecuador
Ecuador, World Vision
A safe floor for walking and playing
Myriam welcomes us to Colta, in the province of Chimborazo, Ecuador. The house where she lives with her husband, Segundo, and their two children, Jesús and Sisa, is the same home where her husband grew up. Her in-laws moved to another property and passed the house on to them. Myriam and her family have now made it their home for the past ten years. Although Kichwa is her native language, Myriam speaks Spanish during the interview so that we can fully understand her story.
Her eldest child is five-year-old Jesús. He loves riding his bicycle and says he dreams of becoming like Richard Carapaz, the renowned Ecuadorian cyclist. Her youngest child, three-year-old Sisa, enjoys playing house and playing with her dolls. Until recently, the children and their parents lived in a house with a dirt floor. Thanks to our partnership with World Vision Ecuador, they now have a concrete floor.
Myriam’s voice shares the impact of one of our flagship initiatives: 100,000 Floors to Play On. Her story reflects the experiences of more than 35,000 people whose lives we have impacted through this initiative across Latin America and the Caribbean.
“What my little boy loves most is his bicycle. He really enjoys riding it. He watches Richard Carapaz and wants to be like him. He says he wants to ride his bicycle everywhere. His school is just up the hill, so his dad even takes him there on the bicycle.”- told us Myriam.
The challenges of a dirt floor
Colta has approximately 9,000 residents and a predominantly Indigenous population: 87% of its residents self-identify as Indigenous. Socioeconomic conditions are particularly challenging. Nine out of 10 families are unable to meet their basic needs, including having access to adequate housing, basic services and education, as well as sufficient resources to cover their monthly expenses. On average, a family lives on approximately US$190 per month.
Myriam takes care of her home and children.
Myriam’s house had a dirt floor, unplastered concrete block walls and a zinc roof. The floor was particularly challenging for Sisa, her youngest daughter, who has clubfoot, a condition that made it difficult for her to walk on the dirt floor without falling. “She would fall ... and hurt herself. It broke my heart, and she would cry,” Myriam recalls. “I kept asking myself, ‘What can I do? How can I do it? How can I improve our home so we can have a level floor?’ ... But God heard me [sic]. Then this project from World Vision, Habitat and the local government came along. I felt such joy [sic].”
Together, we build 100,000 floors to play on
In 2022, Habitat for Humanity and the Inter-American Cement Federation, FICEM, launched a project with an ambitious goal: to replace 100,000 dirt floors with concrete floors by the end of 2026. The initiative is currently underway in 13 countries. In some of them, including Colombia, we implement the initiative through partner organizations. In Ecuador, World Vision leads its implementation through a program that addresses not only the need for adequate housing, but also malnutrition and illness among children.
We have installed nearly 39,000 concrete floors across the region. Now, many people like Myriam and her children can play and draw together.
In Ecuador, the project is called 200 Floors to Play On and is being implemented in Colta, in the province of Chimborazo. Myriam learned about the program through her participation in activities organized by the local government of Colta. She first heard about it during a workshop and completed an application so that a technician could visit her home. To her delight, her family was selected.
The construction process was quick. The concrete was mixed and poured in one day, and the workers returned the following day to smooth the surface. Just two days were enough to improve many aspects of Myriam’s life. Myriam explains that the floor has had a positive impact on both her and her daughter. Sisa no longer falls, and they both feel safer, happier and more at ease.
Concrete floors to play on
In Colta, opportunities for children and adolescents are also shaped by inequality. Only three out of 10 children under the age of 5 have access to early childhood care services, and three out of 10 adolescent girls do not attend secondary school.
Our research has shown that play is essential to children’s development. A concrete floor gives children a safe place to play and have fun while their parents look after them.
Five-year-old Jesús uses the floor to play at building houses, buildings and even boats. His three-year-old sister, Sisa, also enjoys playing at cooking.
Health starts with a home
At Habitat, we have studied the impact of concrete floors on health. This home improvement has reduced respiratory, diarrheal and skin diseases by 17% in Honduras and 19% in Guatemala. Myriam agrees: “My daughter used to be allergic to the dirt. Whenever she played on the floor, or if any food fell on it, she would immediately pick it up and put it in her mouth. Then, little bumps would begin to appear all over her body.”
Since the concrete floor was installed, Sisa has no longer experienced this problem. Food is also less likely to become contaminated, and Jesús gets sick less often.
In the municipality of Colta, only three out of 10 children under the age of 5 have access to early childhood care services.
Beyond a floor
The health improvements are not only the result of installing a concrete floor. Inspired by this initial improvement, Myriam’s family has invested in other upgrades to their home. They built a brick countertop covered with tile, raised the cooking area and installed piped water.
“Now I can prepare food under cleaner conditions than before. There is no longer dirt or mud around.”
The project implemented by World Vision includes more than home improvements. Families also receive training and personalized monthly follow-up on healthy eating, hygiene and safe water practices. In Colta, families depend primarily on agriculture, livestock farming and the sale of products such as barley, onions, fava beans, potatoes, quinoa, beans, broccoli, carrots and wheat. The area’s nutritional situation reflects these conditions.
In the province of Chimborazo, 33.5% of children experience chronic child malnutrition, a condition that particularly affects children under the age of 5 and is associated with multiple factors, including nutrition, access to safe water, hygiene, housing conditions, access to health care and caregiving practices.
Through the guidance and support she received, Myriam strengthened her knowledge and now consistently washes her hands before handling and eating food. She also pays closer attention to her children’s nutrition and health checkups. She adds: “They taught me to boil water every day and that each person should drink two liters of water a day. [...] We drink boiled water now. I boil it every morning, and we drink it throughout the day.”
We continue building concrete floors
As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, Myriam’s story joins our 16 Voices. She represents all the families whose living conditions have improved thanks to a concrete floor. This improvement is the beginning of new opportunities. Let’s open the door to opportunity and help more families transform their lives. If you or your company would like to partner with this initiative, you can donate or contact us.
