In Peru, a safe home is a distant dream for many families facing the dual threats of environmental risks and a severe lack of skilled labor. An alarming 80% of constructions are informally built, leaving half of them vulnerable to earthquakes. This shocking reality demands urgent action.

After her visits to Peru as part of the Viviendas Progresivas (VIPRO) project, Melinda Sasfi, Project Manager at Hilti Foundation, observed that houses are built haphazardly, and quality is not a focus. As a result, people build without professional supervision and much of what is built is simply poor construction. At the same time, the government has no plan to solve the problem. In addition to the poor quality of construction, there is another challenge: cost.