Fixing homes, bettering lives
Henry Avella's home, before and after improvement
Over 1,250 home improvements in operational areas have been supported by BP in close alliance with a leading Colombian NGO.
Through time, socio-economic research confirmed that housing conditions in rural Casanare (BP's areas of influence included) were substandard and thus represented a major obstacle to people's aspirations of crossing the poverty line. Dirt floors, single rooms for entire families, makeshift kitchens and inexistent sanitation facilities were the norm.
To aggravate things, studies also revealed that many of our neighbours actually avoided upgrading their homes not because they didn't have the means to do so, but due to embedded cultural traits. The paradox became even more disturbing when it was fully realised that quite a few of those neighbours had actually benefited with regular job opportunities and salaries from BP drill sites, construction fronts or processing facilities.
Taking advantage of an already existing partnership, BP looked to the leading, nationwide catholic NGO, Corporación Minuto de Dios (Minute of God Corporation) to help put together a programme focused on improving the homes of rural populace living near our sites in Yopal, Aguazul and Tauramena municipalities.
Through time, socio-economic research confirmed that housing conditions in rural Casanare (BP's areas of influence included) were substandard and thus represented a major obstacle to people's aspirations of crossing the poverty line. Dirt floors, single rooms for entire families, makeshift kitchens and inexistent sanitation facilities were the norm.
To aggravate things, studies also revealed that many of our neighbours actually avoided upgrading their homes not because they didn't have the means to do so, but due to embedded cultural traits. The paradox became even more disturbing when it was fully realised that quite a few of those neighbours had actually benefited with regular job opportunities and salaries from BP drill sites, construction fronts or processing facilities.
Taking advantage of an already existing partnership, BP looked to the leading, nationwide catholic NGO, Corporación Minuto de Dios (Minute of God Corporation) to help put together a programme focused on improving the homes of rural populace living near our sites in Yopal, Aguazul and Tauramena municipalities.
Enter Vivienda Digna or Dignified Housing.
Fine-tuned year on year since 2001, Dignified Housing is a model for positive social intervention that starts out with a diagnosis carried out by Minuto de Dios professionals who visit the homes of potential beneficiaries to collect relevant data on family composition and characteristics, as well as identify the most pressing infrastructure needs. This ensures that only prioritised items such as bathrooms, windows, floors, kitchens or extra rooms are installed during actual construction, also coordinated by the seasoned NGO.The visits by the social workers also grant the opportunity to gauge the financial capability of each household, which feeds into the three-way funding scheme behind Dignified Housing. Coherently with the area's poverty indicators and gathered socio-economic data, financing combines BP subsidies with low-interest loans from Minuto de Dios along with beneficiary contribution represented in cash or kind such as labour or building materials. Subsidies account for roughly two fifths of individual improvement costs, while credit stems from the Social Housing Fund, set up by the organization, BP and partners in 1993.
By employing this format, people are both encouraged into participating since a portion of costs are taken care of, and at the same time are discouraged from defaulting because doing so would hamper further credit opportunities and those of other neighbours under the rotating loan system. It is precisely this solidarity component that has allowed families to do several improvements after fully reimbursing their loans, and has ultimately bolstered the fund's sustainability.
With the average upgrade package hovering at US $1,600, all parties factored in, more than 1,250 home improvements have been performed since 2001 with a total investment of little more than $1.9 million, of which BP and partners have supplied $900,000, Minuto de Dios $600,000 in loans and $425,000 by beneficiaries.
Put in other terms, close to a 1,000 families who live in or near Cupiagua, Cusiana, Volcanera and Florena fields today live in much better conditions than they did just a few years ago.
If the homes look better on the outside, the behind-the-scenes gains are just as important. Impact evaluation has revealed that intra-family dynamics change almost immediately through improved living quarters, and aspects like better hygiene, housekeeping and reduced environmental impact come to the forefront. Findings also suggest a direct linkage between improvements and better results in education and health, variables that certainly gravitate on general well-being.
From a wider perspective, Dignified Housing has also produced cultural adjustments. Where people were once sceptical and unwilling to partake in the programme for a long list of reasons, real or perceived, today many are asking for guidelines and to be included in the next wave of recipients.
This 180-degree turn can possibly be traced to the fact that on a whole, 53% (adding loans and individual voluntary contributions) of the total resources used to improve those households have come from the pockets of mainly low income families. This hard evidence has served to disseminate a powerful message of hope throughout rural communities, indicating that it is possible to live in humble yet humane, decent settings.
By addressing one of Casanare's unsatisfied basic needs, Dignified Housing is really doing its part for a better future
If the homes look better on the outside, the behind-the-scenes gains are just as important. Impact evaluation has revealed that intra-family dynamics change almost immediately through improved living quarters, and aspects like better hygiene, housekeeping and reduced environmental impact come to the forefront. Findings also suggest a direct linkage between improvements and better results in education and health, variables that certainly gravitate on general well-being.
From a wider perspective, Dignified Housing has also produced cultural adjustments. Where people were once sceptical and unwilling to partake in the programme for a long list of reasons, real or perceived, today many are asking for guidelines and to be included in the next wave of recipients.
This 180-degree turn can possibly be traced to the fact that on a whole, 53% (adding loans and individual voluntary contributions) of the total resources used to improve those households have come from the pockets of mainly low income families. This hard evidence has served to disseminate a powerful message of hope throughout rural communities, indicating that it is possible to live in humble yet humane, decent settings.
By addressing one of Casanare's unsatisfied basic needs, Dignified Housing is really doing its part for a better future
