Roots of Dignity: Kamentsa Housing & Support Program
Since 2010, OIOC has supported the basic needs of the Kamëntsá community, an Indigenous group that has been severely impacted by colonization and extractivism. This has resulted in widespread poverty, with 79% of families living in adverse conditions. During this time, we rebuilt 24 homes for families in need and provided construction materials to support 20 families. Our focus is on households where elderly people and children live in vulnerable situations.
Through the House Reconstruction and Basic Needs Support Initiative for the Kamentsa Community, we aim to provide dignified living conditions and essential services to vulnerable families, prioritizing the elderly and children.
Reciprocity Initiatives with Our Indigenous Communities
The Kamentsa community has faced increasing challenges due to poverty and deteriorating living conditions. The harsh winter weather in the Sibundoy Valley further exacerbates these hardships, particularly for families residing in inadequate homes with structural issues such as holes in walls, substandard kitchens, and unsanitary bathroom facilities.
This project focuses on rebuilding and improving homes, ensuring each family can access a safe and healthy environment. With the support of CSN and the international community, we have already restored homes for 8 families, lifting them out of unsanitary living conditions. We aim to expand this effort to provide housing repairs, such as kitchen and bathroom improvements, and reinforce floors and walls to protect against the cold.
Additionally, we recognize that many families in the Kamentsa community struggle with food security beyond housing. As we continue to address basic needs, our vision is to develop a sustainable support system that includes food assistance, ensuring long-term security for the community's most vulnerable members.
Impact and Sustainability
With the Roots of Dignity program, we aim to broaden our impact by co-developing a sustainable housing and support system, ensuring that families live with dignity and security. Our comprehensive approach includes:
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Community-Led Planning: Working with local leaders and elders to identify the most pressing needs and develop actionable plans for the houses of benefited families.
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Prioritizing Vulnerable Families: Focusing on homes with young children and elders, ensuring their basic needs are met through structural repairs and essential upgrades.
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Holistic Health and Safety: Strengthening living conditions by addressing food insecurity and supporting initiatives that improve families' physical and emotional well-being.
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Sustainable Livelihoods: Giving immediate access to these families to the GRP (Green Rebirth Project) and localized food production and creating pathways for economic self-sufficiency
Together, we are rebuilding homes and renewing hope and dignity, one family at a time.
