Housing poverty in Bolivia

Tackling growing slums and the lack of land rights
  • 5,400 people served in FY18 5,400 people served in FY18
  • 94 volunteers hosted in FY18 94 volunteers hosted in FY18
  • Projects: Construction, renovation, land & women's rights, WaSH Projects: Construction, renovation, land & women's rights, WaSH

The level of poverty in Bolivia is one of the highest in the continent.

The country suffers from stark differences in living conditions between the higher and lower incomes of the population who live in slum housing that lack the most essential facilities.

Our partnership with Bolivia

We have been working with the impoverished people in Bolivia for 28 years. We maintain the search for housing solutions that will contribute to the exercise of the Human Rights to adequate housing and reduce slum housing.

Bolivia has a population of over 10 million people and over 60% do not have access to drinking water and sewage services.

The situation now

58% of Bolivian families live in slums (huts to be precise) that do not meet the minimum living conditions, lacking basic services and sanitation.

31% of homes accommodate three or more people per bedroom.

About 70% of Bolivian houses have dirt floors; these houses make families susceptible to contract diseases such as major respiratory problems and stomach pains. The most affected are children.

...and in 10 years

According to the government, the housing deficit is 250,000 houses across the country and they have set the goal to build 25,000 houses per year, which means this need will be supplied in 10 years.

But as population growth is increasing constantly, deficits will continue to exist beyond the 10 years of work planned.

Read more about housing poverty in Bolivia

Tackling slum housing and poverty in Bolivia

The organisation has 3 offices in 3 different areas of the country: Cochabamba, La Paz and Santa Cruz. We give…

The organisation has 3 offices in 3 different areas of the country: Cochabamba, La Paz and Santa Cruz.

We give a housing loan to low income families who have no access to regular bank financing. In this sense, we have a revolving fund that is aimed at housing solutions like new housing, upgrades to existing housing, repairs, minor additions and progressive improvement.

It teaches the value of solidarity and sustainability through this model because the money provided is retrieved and assigned to other families in the same or worse condition.

In 28 years we have provided over 11,000 housing solutions in the departments of La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Oruro and Tarija. Over 50,000 more people now have an adequate home.

Find out about our campaign to reform land rights for women in Bolivia.

Find out how the lack of water impacts those living in rural poverty in Bolivia. 

 

Land rights Bolivia

Key facts & figures

  • Capital: Sucre
  • Main country facts: Bolivia is a country in central South America, with a varied terrain spanning Andes mountains, the Atacama Desert and Amazon Basin rainforest.
  • Population: circa 12 million
  • Urbanisation: 70.8% live in cities
  • Life expectancy: 72.5 years
  • Unemployment rate: 4%
  • Population living below poverty line: 37.2%