Having basic housing is having not only the necessary comfort to live and work, but dignity. The Venezuelan government has constructed another 706 houses out of oil derivatives to replace what were previously slums.

The state owned company, Petrocasa, located in the state of Carabobo, started building such houses in March of last year. Planks made out of the oil derivatives (like PVC- polyvinyl chloride) are filled with concrete, creating solid building materials that are cheaper than bricks.

The company is part of a national plan for Venezuela to achieve production within the country and decrease the need to import, whilst also providing much needed housing to the Venezuelan population, many of whom still live in slums. Community members who will live in the houses help with building them, which increases their commitment to the project- of not just building houses but a new community.

Hence, people who were previously excluded are given the possibility to construct their own destiny, their own future and lives.

According to the president of Pequiven (Petrochemicals of Venezuela), Saul Ameliach, houses made with PVC are “resistant to any bad weather, to ultraviolet rays, to fire, and totally safe and suitable to live in.” He also explained that the houses made by Petrocasa are large and comfortable, 70 square meters, and have 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Each house takes only 8 days to build.

Venezuela plans to construct 60,000 such houses per year.

Imagine the global impact if other countries would do the same. The material is there, there’s no reason why anyone should have to be homeless or living in slum housing.

-Women are playing as much as a role as men in the construction of the houses.