Grupo Argos Foundation • News

Keila Epieyu and her family are just days away from receiving the first home of the Miiroku project, built with a model that highlights the indigenous culture of La Guajira

19 September 2024
  • This is the first of 30 homes that will be delivered to the community in early 2025, thanks to a partnership between Grupo Argos Foundation, Casa para Mí (a social enterprise by Cementos Argos), Fundación Santo Domingo, Grupo AVAL through Fundación Corficolombiana, and the Ministry of Housing. In total, this project will benefit over 270 people in Uribia, a Wayú municipality in La Alta Guajira.
  • The construction follows a model that uses natural and local materials to create resilient and sustainable structures that can withstand the region’s climatic conditions while embracing the traditions and culture of its inhabitants. Miiroku incorporates a social intervention model that, for over a year, has fostered close collaboration with the community to ensure the homes reflect indigenous knowledge and culture while meeting the needs of the families.
  • The project employs a system designed for rapid construction, allowing scalability with low logistical costs and completion times of no more than 1.5 months per home.

At an event attended by more than 80 members of the Kayuswaaralu and Naleep indigenous communities from La Alta Guajira, along with the presence of Aydee Marsiglia Bello, Vice Minister of Housing, a 90% completion milestone was announced for the first home of the Miiroku project, which will benefit the family of Keila Epieyu, consisting of seven people. The construction of the other 29 integral homes has already begun.

“As the Ministry of Housing, it is very satisfying to be part of these types of projects that respond to the real needs of those who will inhabit them. For the Government of Change, it is very important to listen to the voice of the communities. We join this effort because we understand that housing is more than just a result; it is a means for all communities and serves a purpose and specific needs. For us, projects of this nature are what is needed—differentiated housing that addresses the needs of a country as diverse as Colombia.”

Aydeé Marsiglia Bello
Vice Minister of Housing

“It pains us deeply to know that almost five million families in our country do not have access to decent housing. With Miiroku and through our social enterprise, Casa Para Mí, we want to demonstrate that it is possible to have a well-built, modular, and industrialized home that not only withstands the challenges of the climate but also honors ancestral roots and knowledge. Bahareque and yotojoro are much more than materials; they are the living heritage we want to preserve. We dream of awakening a new awareness in Colombia, one that understands that no matter how remote a community is, their dreams are the same: to have a dignified, personal home, a refuge where families can grow and prosper.”

Juan Esteban Calle
President of Cementos Argos

The construction of the homes began in July, following an innovative model that recognizes the cultural traditions of the indigenous communities and the geography of the territory. This model proposes structures that maximize rainwater collection, a critical and scarce resource in the region. The collected water is then filtered using the system provided by Aquavida (a program by Grupo Argos Foundation) to ensure it is safe and suitable for human consumption.

“One of the added values of this project, without a doubt, is the collaborative work we have carried out for over a year with the Wayú indigenous community to understand their culture and customs. This has been our purpose with Miiroku, to ensure that each family recognizes their identity in the homes and that they can become true active agents in the transformation of their territory.”

María Camila Villegas
Executive Director, Grupo Argos Foundation

Similarly, it incorporates large community spaces and common areas that are twice the size of those established for priority housing. This design aims to preserve the customs of its inhabitants, such as the presence of yotojoro, and the chinchorro or hammock as the primary furniture.

“From Fundación Santo Domingo and our territorial development line, we promote high-impact projects that drive urban and social development in Caribbean communities. That is why we are convinced that with Miiroku, we are not only building dignified housing but also promoting the well-being of families, preserving cultural traditions, and impacting community health and cohesion. In this way, we strengthen the social fabric of La Guajira and provide new opportunities for present and future generations.”

Juan Diego Cespedes
Director of Urban and Real Estate Development, Fundación Santo Domingo

This iconic project in Colombia is the result of collaborative work with the community to foster empowerment and the use of natural and local materials to create resilient and sustainable structures that withstand climatic conditions while honoring the traditions and culture of its inhabitants.

“The Miiroku project aligns perfectly with our Misión La Guajira, and therefore, we enthusiastically joined this alliance to expand our commitment to the Wayú communities in La Alta Guajira. This project contributes to one of our goals of promoting sustainable development and the well-being of these communities. It fills us with satisfaction to know that we are making a real difference that will impact the present and future of La Alta Guajira, and that nearly 300 people will have better living conditions in terms of housing and water supply.”

Luis Carlos Sarmiento Gutiérrez
President of the Boards of Directors of Grupo AVAL and Corficolombiana

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