Decent housing in El Salvador
The miracle of the community El Jiote that transforms sheets into homes
In the hills of Zaragoza, where the brilliance of urban development tends to fade in the face of the reality of precariousness, eight families from the El Jiote hamlet have decided to rewrite their history. What began as a shelter from rusty sheets and soils of earth is becoming a model of community resilience.
Through the strategic alliance between Euromundo Viajes and the Europamundo Foundation, the human right to safe housing and decent sanitation is no longer a distant promise to become a palpable reality, built with the hands of those who need it most.
El Jiote hamlet represents one of the most urgent challenges of this freedom. Located in an old farm area, its inhabitants have historically lived in overcrowded conditions, exposed to inclement weather and constant health risks due to the lack of physiological waste disposal systems.
The intervention of the Europamundo Foundation is fully justified by aligning itself with our values of comprehensive human development and environmental sustainability, attacking poverty from its structural root: the lack of a safe basic infrastructure.
Geographical and demographic
Located in the Zaragoza district, El Salvador, at an altitude of 606 meters above sea level, the project directly benefits 27 people (15 women and 12 men). The irregular topography requires constructive solutions adapted to the slope and storm runoff.
Socioeconomic
Most of the heads of household work as masons, a trade that has become the main capital of the project, contributing the skilled workforce on a voluntary basis.
Women, pillars of the domestic economy, manage the logistics and care of minors, who represent the future of the community.
Cultural
There is a strong social cohesion and an identity rooted in the collective effort. The community has demonstrated exceptional organizational capacity, completing construction tasks in record time.
The “El Jiote Community” project is deployed in an execution horizon of 9 months with a budget of 40,000 EUR, focused on three strategic axes.
High resilience decent housing infrastructure
Comprehensive replacement of ceilings, walls, and floors with durable materials (reinforced sheets, cement, beams). The objective is to provide a decent housing, a shelter that guarantees thermal comfort, vital to temperatures of up to 38°C recorded in this area of El Salvador.
Sanitary dignity and WASH management
Construction of two common septic tanks 5 meters deep to ensure the safe disposal of waste, dramatically reducing water-borne diseases.
Connectivity and educational jump
Installation of a mini study center with satellite internet service (StarLink) and recreational areas. This component seeks to break the digital divide and offer the children of El Jiote the same opportunities for knowledge as their peers in urban areas.
The 8 families are projected to achieve a decent living standard, with access to solar energy (10 solar lamps installed), safe gas cookers, and basic furniture that ensures a restorative rest.
Sustainability and future
Sustainability is guaranteed by the targeted self-construction model. As the inhabitants themselves are the ones who install the posts and dig the pits, they acquire the technical knowledge necessary for future maintenance.
In addition, enhancing the environment encourages rooting and reduces the need for forced migration.
Alignment with the SDGs
- ODS 1 (End of poverty): Access to basic resources for the most vulnerable.
- ODS 6 (Clean water and sanitation): Implementation of safe sanitation systems.
- SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities): Improvement of human settlements.
Stage 1 - 08/03/2026
Stage 2 - 09 to 15/03/2026
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