Empowering neighbors: improving habitat conditions in Moreno, Buenos Aires

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After a long and dark winter, you and classmates took a flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina. You land at Ezeiza International Airport, which is more than an hour away from the house you will be staying. Yesterday, at home the temperature was -5, and now is +25, its too hot and bright! You make your way through customs; everyone speaks Spanish, a bit too loud. Before exiting the airport, you exchange some money and buy a small alfajor (sweet treat) for the ride to the house in the city center.

You and your classmates jump into the transport and as the vehicle starts moving you start to relax and contemplate the urban landscape through the window. You open your alfajor and start to reflect on how the urban fabric changes as you enter the city.

[Use google maps and street view to grasp an idea of the context]

Finally, you arrive to city center, get comfortable, and go for a small first urban exploration around your house. After a small walk we all meet for lunch where Rául Zavalia and his team from Fundación Pro Vivienda Social (FPVS) and Gabriela Arrastúa from Un Techo Para Mi País (TECHO) are waiting for us. The mission of both NGOs is to improve habitat conditions in informal / semi-formal neighborhoods in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (AMBA) or el conurbano bonaerense.

[Dive into [FPVS] and [TECHO] web sites and youtube channels]

Before finishing the desert, the itinerary for the next two days is given.

Day one:

The morning starts with a small lecture about facts about Buenos Aires and then there will be free time to read and get familiar with the context and both NGOS. During this first day Raúl and Gabriela will explain how they work and some of the challenges they are facing.

During this day we will be doing activities to understand the context and the challenges that the NGOs and the households of Moreno are facing. The day finishes with a first brainstorming of potential solution to further develop during the next day.

Day two:

After the brainstorming of potential solutions, one or two ideas will be chosen to be further developed. The reality studio will emulate a group of consultants that are trying to help Fundación and Techo. The day finishes with a showcase of the projects created during the studio.

Readings (choose minimum 2 and skim through before Context Day 1):

Techo

Mitchell,Ann Macció, J. (2018). Evaluating the Effects of Housing Interventions on Multidimensional Poverty: The Case of TECHO-Argentina Ann. In Ophi Working Paper No. 120.

FPVS

Goyita, Cynthia (2013) Another path? The consolidation of informal settlements in Buenos Aires through the co-production of services. PhD thesis, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
Goytia, C., Pasquini, R., & Sanguinetti, P. (2011). Public-Private Co-operation for Gas Provision in Poor Neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires: Impact on Housing Improvements and Health. (January), 18 pages.

Resources

The Challenge of Slums - Global Report on Human Settlements 2003