1,200 volunteers from TECHO-Chile (former "Un Techo para Chile") departed this morning from the Esplanade of Parque O'Higgins to Paraguay. There they will join 700 Paraguayan volunteers of the organization and 360 families of the Latin American Works 2013, which will run from 26 July to August 2.
The Chilean and Paraguayan volunteers, along with local residents, will build 360 emergency houses in San Pedro and Caaguazú, two of the most vulnerable communities in the country, as an example of mass mobilization of volunteers to contribute to the alleviation of poverty in the continent.
Foreign Minister Alfredo Moreno stressed that this initiative "is a gesture of social commitment that transcends borders and which is led by the main agents of change in our society, young people. As Chilean Government, we have a high commitment to support these initiatives that not only support our international cooperation actions, but also to find solutions that allow us to make progress as an equitable and integrated region."
Pía Mundaca, Social Director of TECHO-Chile and who heads the national delegation said: "This is an epic crusade for us. Today in TECHO we are inviting young people to mobilize and commit themselves not only with poverty in our country but also abroad. The situation in which thousands of families live should outrage us beyond nationality. These constructions also bring together people from different countries, who beyond the differences inherent to the country where they come from are united by the same challenge: building a fairer continent."
According to statistics from ECLAC (2012) it is estimated that 168 million of Latin Americans live with less than USD$ 1.25 per day in the most unequal continent in the world. According to the World Bank (2010) a 13.2 percent of Paraguay's population lives with less than two dollars per day and housing shortage amounts to 800,000 houses.
This initiative, led by TECHO, is supported by various stakeholders. Among them, notable is the participation of the Chilean Agency for International Cooperation (AGCI CHILE) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
This partnership is part of the Specific Cooperation Agreement signed between AGCI CHILE and TECHO- CHILE for the carrying out of "Winter Works 2013, Chile Paraguay," which commits its strategic association on International Cooperation, implementing projects of housing development , poverty alleviation, economic and community development, health, education and others in Latin America and the Caribbean .
The Consul of Paraguay in Chile, Darío Franco, and the Mayor of Santiago Carolina Tohá were also present at the farewell of the delegation.