Home for 50 Elderly People in Argentina

Hogar San José installs solar panels to pursue sustainability and care for the environment.

The pandemic brought multiple challenges to overcome with hard work. Hogar’s work continues its efforts after almost two years of the pandemic to promote the physical and mental well-being of all the people who live at the Hogar.

Despite this circumstance, the project never lost sight of one of its programmatic challenges: promote the SDGs and be sustainable in the long term.

In collaboration with Ingenieros Sin Frontera Argentina, whose mission is Community Development, Sustainability, Participation, and Community Diversity, the investment of Cargill, and the coordination of Mensajeros de la Paz Argentina, Hogar San José installed solar panels on December 2021.

These panels have different benefits such as:

• produces renewable energy and abandonment,
• it is environmentally friendly, does not produce noise pollution, and is aligned with the SDGs,
• reduces electricity costs with low maintenance costs,

In the words of Hugo Catoni, Hogar San Jose’s director, “we are the first in the town of Tres de Febrero to have this type of technology. It is a significant step because it means a change in the economy of the Home very large, more sustainable. These panels promote the care and protection of nature and the environment and contribute to residents’ quality of life. Therefore the Home lived this installation with great joy and pride”.

This installation is a step towards a more sustainable future where all people have access to affordable, safe, sustainable, and modern energy without distinction of class or age. A more equitable world is possible and environmental action is fundamental in pursuing our mission.

Thank you for continuing to accompany us in our steps

Mensajeros de la Paz’s Team

Links:

• Director of HSJ Talking about the installation of solar panels

Elderly people are one of the groups of society at social risk, even worse during COVID 19 pandemic. For this reason, Mensajeros de la Paz Argentina has been working for 19 years on many projects to protect elderly person's rights. Mensajeros has been assisting and supporting this population in vulnerable situations or cases of they do not find appropriate support or enough care in their families. One of these projects is Hogar San José, founded in 1935 and currently leads by Mensajeros de la Paz Argentina. Hogar San José has a professional staff of doctors, social workers, psycho-gerontologists, and others that assist the 50 people living there.

Into the Hogar, many stories could inspire too many people. In this report, Mensajeros de la Paz Argentina wants to share with you and thank you for your support that helps these stories directly.

"One of the keys in Hogar San José is the joint work between the organisation, the family/referent and the resident. This key promotes a more comprehensive and favourable approach with all participants."

Maria

María has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and the only person she has is her daughter. Maria said they decided to continue with activities inside and outside the project when they came to the Hogar. But with the pandemic context and limitation of several activities, it was challenging to do them. Nevertheless, Maria has kept participating in the literary workshop she used to go to at the University of La Matanza, but virtually via WhatsApp. In September 2020, Maria faced reality again after quarantine, accompanied by a professional, to attend a medical appointment.

"The organisation assists us. It helps to manage, through social and institutional areas, a PUAM (a minimum pension income), a medical insurance reference or a Unique Disability Certificate as appropriate"

Mabel and Mirta have no family members to take care of or support. Therefore, the role of Mesajeros in such circumstances is fundamental. During the interview, they said that Hogar San José is like their home, and for this reason, it called it (Hogar means Home in Spanish)

Thanks to your ongoing support as a Mensajeros de la Paz's Friend, it is possible to carry out all the organisation's projects. But mainly, thanks to the raise donations and other supplies, it has been possible to develop an improvement at the Hogar's coverture and work with this population that are stories of lives.