Paraguay

Context at a glance

Lidia, 42, lives with her children in the slum area known as "La Chacarita" in Asuncion, Paraguay

Housing needs in Paraguay have increased at the same rate as population growth. From 1992 to 2002, the population and housing deficit increased by 71 percent.

Out of the 1,098,820 houses identified in the 2002 census, 116,240 (11 percent) are classed as inadequate structures, with their inhabitants living in substandard conditions.

47 percent of the population has no access to running water and only 10 percent of the houses with toilets are connected to the public sewage network.

In the main cities, such as the capital Asuncion, one out of three families rents a house or lives with another family. People are forced to pay a 50 percent security deposit, plus two months' rent in advance – for low-income families this is a huge obstacle.

(Source: General Statistics, Surveys and Census Division, 2002)

Habitat for Humanity programme

In 1998, thanks to the initiative and perseverance of dedicated volunteers, Habitat for Humanity opened its doors in Paraguay.

In January 1999, the dream of carrying out the first land markings to begin building the first three houses came true, in Puerto Botánico, Trinidad. Six months later, in July, the first houses were completed, and that same year, four more houses were begun in Limpio.

Today, hundreds of families have abandoned their shacks to live in their very own Habitat home. The houses have two bedrooms, a living-dining room, kitchen, bathroom and laundry area. They are built with hollow brick walls, a tile roof and a polished cement floor, and are connected to electricity and running water.

On average, a house costs £1,900 and the homeowner loan is for 10 to 14 years. Families pay around £136 per year, which is equivalent to about £11 a month. This amount represents 12.7 percent of the current minimum wage and is a lot cheaper than the going rate for renting a substandard house.

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