Good practices in housing construction in Nicaragua

It is estimated that three out of every 10 Nicaraguan families live in inadequate conditions, either due to overcrowding, deficient drinking water and sanitary sewage services or poor infrastructure quality. Meeting these needs takes time and financial resources, and often, the urgency of finding decent housing forces them to move without technical advice.

In response to this reality, a skills development programme teamed up with the Nicaraguan Construction Chamber to present a basic good practices guideline for housing construction and maintenance. 

The guide provides relevant information such as budgeting, investment planning, hiring suitable personnel, adequate materials and recommendations for the maintenance of electrical and sanitary systems.

The document is used also for training of trainers as the programme has developed courses in Vocational Training Centres for informal workers. Thanks to this, the workers strengthen their technical skills and certify their knowledge, which is an advantage for those who request their services. 

This programme aims to increase employability of youth and is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC and facilitated by Swisscontact.