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 25 people (men, women, children, and elders). 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 “Comunidad El Jiote” project unfolds over a 14-week timeline with a 15,000 EUR budget, centered on three strategic pillars spread across 5 phases:
- Solar lighting installation.
- Construction of 2 rural pits or latrines.
- Construction of foundations and a clean water station.
- Purchase of beds, bedding, and pillows.
- Training on project management and maintenance.
High resilience decent housing infrastructure
Comprehensive replacement of roofs, walls, and floors with durable materials (reinforced sheets, cement, and beams), plus 5 double beds, 8 single beds, and basic bedding and pillows. The goal is to provide shelter that ensures thermal comfort, essential given temperatures up to 38°C recorded in that area of El Salvador.
Sanitary dignity and WASH management
Provision of 2 rainwater storage barrels and construction of 2 communal 5-meter-deep septic pits to ensure safe waste disposal and a drastic reduction in waterborne diseases.
Elderly facilities
Provision of 2 portable toilets for the sick and 2 non-slip chairs for 2 elderly women in the community with age-related mobility limitations.
The 7 families are projected to achieve a decent living standard, with access to solar energy (12 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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