16 voices
Angela Beatriz, Argentina
Argentina, Ángela Beatriz
Protecting the home as a family asset
Ángela Beatriz welcomes us into her childhood home in Isidro Casanova, La Matanza, Argentina. She has lived in this area for 69 years, her entire life. The living room where our interview takes place is part of the family home her parents created. From the outset, she makes it clear that, for her, the conversation is centered on one thing: family.
“I will always approach things from a family perspective. First, because I am very family-oriented. I love the family I have, and I want all of us to live well in our home.”
The Bathroom Improvement
Ángela began her life in this house but moved away when she got married. After her husband passed away, she returned to her childhood home, where she now lives with her 96-year-old mother and her two brothers. Luis Alberto, the youngest, helped arrange the home’s bathroom improvement through Cooperativa Transformadora, a partner organization of Habitat for Humanity.
“We received a bathroom kit, which was very important to us because it changed our lives by providing greater comfort and allowing us to live with more dignity.”
In Argentina, Habitat for Humanity implements the Targeted Home Improvements program. One component provides a sanitation kit containing the essentials for an adequate bathroom: a toilet, sink, electric shower, and electrical safety equipment.
Before the intervention, the toilet and sink were in poor condition. The new sink allows them to wash more comfortably, although further improvements are still needed. Ángela would like the bathroom to have tiled walls and floors so she can feel more comfortable. For her, the bathroom:
“It is essential for our hygiene, especially when we return from our daily activities. It is also a place where we can rest and relax, where we can come home, take a shower, wash our faces, and, above all, take care of our personal hygiene.”
Our study of the Cheers to water program in Paraguay has shown that bathroom improvements produce tangible benefits for families. Respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses and infections decrease by 30%, while the need for medical care and medication is reduced by half. This also generates economic benefits, as families save approximately 8% of their average income on healthcare expenses.
The Meaning of Home
Ángela’s parents instilled in her the importance of siblings staying united to move forward and thrive. That spirit motivates her to maintain and continue improving her home.
“I feel responsible […] for keeping this home dignified, a home that cost my father so much work and effort. We must remain united to preserve it and ensure that we have a peaceful home, as every human being deserves.”
Ángela and her brother, Luis Alberto.
“Home is where we come together through the good times, the bad times, and our daily experiences as a family. It means creating a warm home, facing the good and the bad, trying to move forward, and helping one another. To me, that is what home is: family.”
A Voice for Family Legacy
Ángela’s voice resonates from Argentina, representing all families whose homes embody a hard-earned legacy passed down from generation to generation. Her voice joins the celebration of our 50th anniversary through the Let’s Open the Door campaign. If you are interested in supporting this project in Argentina, donate through this link. You can also contact us to explore opportunities to collaborate individually or through your company.
“Let’s open the door to progress for every home and every family. Let’s open the door to faith in God and to the belief that anything is possible.”
