Highland Housing

             Housing in the highlands is characterized by cinderblock construction with open windows.  The foundation is directly on the ground, in contrast to many costal houses that were elevated.  Most urban people live in multi-family housing in crowded areas with available electricity and water, as well as a functional sewage system. In the rural areas, these commodities are scarce.  Toilets, if available, must be flushed with water carried in from the local river or spring.  Animals are prominent in both rural and urban settings.  Livestock is a not a rare site as they are herded through some city streets.  The stark contrast between the middle-upper class and the desperately poor is much more apparent in the compact cities of the highlands.  

Housing Contrast in Quito, Ecuador

By Shawn Meagher, Babu Dutta, Joel Crane

Among the most stark contrast that we have observed in Ecuadorian residential living is directly related to the individual’s socio-economic circumstances. This may be true in most developed nations, with the exception that in Ecuador the poor live in conditions that are literally desperate, while the rich live in palatial homes.

In Quito, we had the opportunity to visit a home of one of our local instructors. He describes himself and his home as middle class. The house was self-built by his family, minimizing labor resources. The house we visited was in a clean modest suburb of Quito. The homes in this area were made of concrete, bricks and cinder blocks. His home had a double care garage. It is a clean and modern dwelling very comparable to an average American home.

A modern kitchen, a modern bathroom and a warm living room, equipped with electronic appliances.

In summary, the contrast really exists between the poor in Ecuador and the U.S. and not very much among the middle and financially more comfortable. In correlating this information with tropical diseases, health for middle class in Ecuador is probably comparable to middle class in the U.S. This conclusion is only based on housing standards and not the entire spectrum of medical care and other socio-economic factors.

Housing Conditions in Costal Tonchique

By: Kristina, Elena, Abby and Paula

Across the river from the Tonchique Health Center, we visited a community that was an illegal settlement. This community at any time could be driven out by the landowner. The impoverished people of this community struggle with a high prevalence of malaria and Dengue fever, which is a result of their unfortunate living conditions.

 Although overall this community shares the same socioeconomic level, there is some diversity among the housing conditions. The most common of these housing types are structures that are low to the ground and built on and around standing water. These destitute conditions also include thin and unstable construction materials, indoor cooking fires, toilets constructed from garbage bags and sticks and a general lack of electricity. The second type of housing type of available housing has been built by non-government organizations. These tend to be built higher off the ground, and are constructed from slightly more stable materials. In general, upstairs level is exclusive to living and sleeping, with the lower living serving from kitchen and storage. These homes are larger in size and commonly have electricity. The third and least prevalent of the housing is constructed from cinder block bricks. These homes have more living materials such as furniture, appliances, electricity, walled outhouses, some screens, and fences and barred windows for protection and privacy.

Even though there is diversity in the living situations, all members of this community share the same struggles and problems with health. Families are generally very large with many small children and adults who are ill or unable to work. All members of these families either sleep in one bed or on the floor with deteriorated bed nets. Without healthy people to work, there is no money for families to send children to school, seek needed medical attention or improve their living condition. The combination of unsanitary standing water for bathing and drinking, abundance of animals, indoor open pit cooking, and toilets near the living area and water supply all contribute to the downward spiral of poverty and escalating disease rates.

 Although these situations may seem undesirable and unthinkable to most individuals, this is what people in this community live for and is what they have to show for their lives.  To them their home is what makes them happy and gives them a reason for living.

Housing in Rural Amazon

By Alyssa K. Kunz and Rachelle Mason

             The traditional housing in rural Amazon consist of large open plan structures resembling a large carport.  This is an excellent design for ventilation but poses a serious challenge for insect control.  This houses the entire family and comprises of the living, sleeping, and cooking facilities.  There is usually no running water or electricity in these types of structures.  The general framework is constructed from local woods particularly hard woods such as bamboo cane, which are locally treated with waxes and plant extracts to prevent termites but the system is still vulnerable to infestation.

              As opposed to coastal areas, the majority of these dwellings are not raised above ground level with wooden planking but instead embedded on hard packed dirt, inviting a generally less hygienic environment.  The roves are comprised of an ancient method of “thatched" palm leaves which is incredibly effective for both the torrential rain and temperature regulation, however, are also a favorable habitat for insects known to transmit diseases to humans, such as kissing bugs (Triatomines).  Cooking facilities are usually the hub of the household using open fires or oven pit type facilities.  The food is kept tied within the rafters to reduce infestation and or contamination and to prevent local animals particularly rats, guanchacas (opossum), capibaras (large rodent), and ants from seeking out the food supply. 

            There is also the added benefit of prolonging longevity of perishable items secondary to the roofing materials as previously discussed.  There is, however, no specific cooling or refrigerating systems for ideal food hygiene practices.

            Washing for cooking food, clothing, and people is all carried out from the nearest water supply, be that stream, lake, or well.  Defecation and voiding has no specific place aside from ideally somewhere discrete.  This poses considerable hygiene risks. 

             Some more developed areas or those receiving advice from aid workers use specific areas with less risk of run off contamination.   Although insect nets for sleeping are actively encouraged we personally did not see any.  The traditional house ceilings usually have a twenty five year life time before requiring repair, whereas the structures themselves last longer.

Despite the quality or lack thereof of the houses, another important factor of the health of the inhabitants depends on the numbers of people living within.  In the majority of the houses visited, overcrowding was a predominant trend.  In public health situations, the more individuals that are present in a house the higher the probability for spreading infectious diseases amongst the inhabitants.

            As a side note, in addition to viewing the traditional housing we did see missionary houses in these areas.   These houses tended to be bigger in size and were substantially better equipped with screened windows/doorways for insect control, plumbing, and electricity.  However, after the missionaries left the houses began to fall into disrepair and overcrowding still seemed to be a predominant issue.