The 'Hábitat para la Humanidad Argentina' project has allowed a family to reduce medical expenses by up to 79%. Thanks to this project, Bruno can now play at home without the risk of dermatological infections. Floor Change. The type of flooring in a home can determine a child's health and future educational prospects. A regional study by 'Hábitat para la Humanidad' confirms that dirt floors increase the risk of respiratory diseases, parasitic infections, and affect school performance and cognitive development. According to INDEC data, in our country, around 300,000 families live with a dirt floor. In the province of Buenos Aires, 'Hábitat para la Humanidad Argentina' carried out the first experience of transforming dirt floors into suitable ones. 'Before starting the training sessions, we surveyed the participating families and found that in the last month, 37% suffered from skin diseases, such as allergies or rashes, 25% had cases of diarrhea, and 19% had respiratory diseases like bronchitis or sinusitis,' says Barbara Bonelli, the organization's director. To reverse this situation, 'Hábitat para la Humanidad Argentina' is carrying out an initiative that seeks to replace dirt floors with safe and healthy floors in vulnerable homes. The goal is to improve the quality of life for thousands of children and guarantee them a dignified space to grow and play. To this end, the organization launched the campaign 'This Christmas, give a floor to play on' in December. 'A safe floor is not a luxury, it is a basic need that directly impacts the health and learning of children. And building more just societies requires special attention to the cognitive development of boys and girls. Far from Bruno's being an isolated case, one in three families in the country lives in inadequate housing, which reveals a clear housing crisis,' according to a report by social organizations linked to the issue. The analysis carried out by 'Fundación Vivienda Digna', TECHO, 'Mujeres 2000', 'Módulo Sanitario' and 'Hábitat para la Humanidad Argentina' pointed out that 'the consequences are profound: precarious housing, overcrowding, lack of access to drinking water, bathrooms, safe electricity, and a constant violation of basic human rights'. In this sense, they warned that 'this reality directly impacts the health, education, safety, and development of millions of people'. Social Precariousness. And according to the National Registry of Popular Neighborhoods (RENABAP), more than 5 million people live in popular neighborhoods, while 6 million do not have a bathroom in Argentina (National Census) and more than 1 million live in conditions of critical overcrowding (EPH – INDEC). According to a study released by the NGO 'Hábitat para la Humanidad Argentina', changing dirt floors to concrete floors has immediate consequences. A concrete floor can increase playtime by 80%, equivalent to two more hours a day. Playing at home favors the cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development of children. It also reduces school absenteeism by 15% and improves performance since children get sick less and thus have an appropriate space to study and do their homework. This, in turn, could lead to a reduction in school dropout rates, and according to a World Bank report, the vulnerable population has lower rates of attendance in early education and higher school dropout rates. In sanitary terms, parasitic infections decrease by 78% and anemias by 81%. 'With this campaign, we invite society to be part of the change,' affirmed Bonelli. 'Christmas is a very special date, and we want to offer each person the opportunity to give something that is missing in many homes: hours of play, health, and education.' This campaign is part of a goal for 'Hábitat para la Humanidad' in the region: '100,000 Floors to Play' has, in three years, reversed the quality of life and changed the future of thousands of children in Latin America and the Caribbean. Donations can be made through hpha.org.ar/unpiso.
