By: Diego Arispe, Central Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility at
Cementos Pacasmayo.
Building a better future always begins in the most important place: the home. The foundation on which the well-being, health and development opportunities of families are built. In this context, the replacement of dirt floors with concrete floors in vulnerable homes is emerging as a crucial strategy to improve the living conditions of thousands of people.
According to data from Habitat for Humanity and FICEM compiled on the website of 100,000 Play FloorsPeru has 31.8% of dwellings with dirt floors in Latin America and the Caribbean, making it the country with the highest deficit in the region. This figure sends us a clear message: reducing it is not only a challenge, but a shared responsibility.
The commitment of Cementos Pacasmayo with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), guides its actions to significantly improve the quality of life of the communities located in its areas of influence. Its work is aligned with the goals of health and well-being (SDG 3), the reduction of inequalities (SDG 10) and the development of more sustainable cities (SDG 11).
From this vision, Sueños en Concreto was born, a program that focuses on an intervention as simple as it is powerful: the replacement of dirt floors with concrete floors in homes in the north of the country. During 2024, the goal was to impact more than 1,200 families in La Libertad, Cajamarca, San Martín and Piura, benefiting more than 5,000 people, and it was achieved. These efforts not only improved housing, but also promoted the development of the families benefited, towards the search for a safer, more resilient and healthier home.
The results so far are deeply encouraging. Every floor transformed is not just an improvement in a home's infrastructure, but a sign of well-being and progress. It means our children can play with less risk of illness, families enjoy a healthier environment, and communities feel supported and valued.
The key to success lies in partnerships. Efforts have been joined to maximize impact and establish feedback mechanisms to ensure that the program responds to the real needs of the communities.
In addition, this type of intervention is aligned with the concept of progressive housing, a strategy that recognizes that families in vulnerable situations tend to build their homes gradually according to their resources. The implementation of concrete floors can be the first step in this process, motivating families to invest and continue improving other aspects of their homes, such as roofs, walls and sanitation systems.
For this strategy to be effective, coordinated participation between the public, private and civil society sectors is essential. Companies have a great opportunity to make their presence felt through corporate social responsibility programs, providing materials, financing and/or technical expertise. By participating in initiatives such as these, they can not only contribute to the well-being of the communities in which they operate, but also strengthen their relationship with the stakeholders with whom they interact.
Pacasmayo understands that a concrete floor is much more than a home improvement: is the foundation on which families can build a better present and a much more prosperous future.
