She is the mother of John Freddy, who was born in August 2003 and is 22 years old. He has cerebral palsy due to delayed medical attention during childbirth. Although Freddy is able to speak somewhat, his mobility is extremely limited, and Orfa is unable to work because she must care for him full-time.

They live in an informal settlement in Pereira. Their house is made of woven plant material (“esterilla”) and is beginning to tilt under the weight of the roof. It is necessary to build at least the side wall where the kitchen is located using a rigid material such as brick and cement in order to support the kitchen cabinet that was donated to them and provide structural support for the entire home, while also improving the physical living conditions.

Additionally, the roof has significant damage, including holes through which rainwater enters during heavy storms, making urgent repairs necessary.

Eber is a 43-year-old man. He suffered an accident when he was young while helping in his father’s mechanic workshop. A car ran over him and damaged three of his cervical vertebrae, leaving him with spinal cord damage and unable to walk. Because of this, he requires support from his parents, who are already very elderly.

He lives in a rural district about 30 minutes from the city of Pereira. The house they live in has a severely deteriorated roof. The roof was poorly constructed with an improper slope, causing water to collect in the center and leak down the walls and through holes in the roofing sheets.

She is a single mother of two children. Her eight-year-old daughter, Melanie Samara, has severe respiratory problems as well as a severe paralysis that leaves her permanently bedridden.

They live in an informal settlement next to a working-class neighborhood in Pereira, and their house is becoming unstable due to damage to its foundations, as it was built in a handmade way using guadua (a type of bamboo).

It is necessary to build concrete columns or use another strong material to support and lift the house. In addition, the floor, which has holes, and the roof, which has large openings, need to be improved. These conditions allow cold air and often rain to enter, worsening Melanie Samara’s illness.

Claudia Lorena Orozco is the mother of Samuel Marulanda, a 17-year-old who has an intellectual disability and a behavioral disorder—a multiple disability that requires her to care for him full-time. She lives in the family home with her mother and brother. Due to her son’s condition, she is unable to work, and her mother is also very elderly and requires care.

The house was built over 40 years ago, and the roof is in very poor condition. The roofing sheets are made of a dangerous material, “asbestos,” and must be completely replaced. The structure also needs to be reinforced to support the new roofing that would be installed. Due to the deterioration, water is leaking in, but the most dangerous issue is the material itself, since the asbestos sheets are releasing harmful dust, which is damaging the health of everyone living in the home.

Elsa Ibarguen Gamboa and her son, Charly Fran de Ibarguen, live in the small town of Fómeque, Cundinamarca, near Bogotá, Colombia. Charly Fran has a disability and regularly attends physical therapy sessions at Centro Vida.

In the accompanying video, you can see the challenging conditions of their living environment, including the steep hill leading up to their home. As Elsa grows older, she is experiencing increasing hip pain, which makes it difficult for her to transport her son to therapy sessions.

To continue Charly Fran’s treatment at home, Elsa is requesting physical therapy kits such as small weights, resistance bands, therapy balls, and rollers. This equipment would greatly help them maintain his care and mobility from the safety and comfort of their home.