Empresas sociales

1. Social Enterprise Analysis - Oct. 16, 2016-
Organization Overview
TECHO, the Latin America social enterprise focused on community-led housing
solutions. TECHO, also known as “Un Techo Para Mi País” (UTMP) (Spanish for “A Roof For
My Country”), was founded in Chile in 1997 by Jesuit priest Felipe Berríos, along with a
group of university students. The nonprofit organization mobilizes youth volunteers to
fight extreme poverty in Latin America, by constructing transitional housing and
implementing social inclusion programs.
Non-profit TECHO funds itself through a combination of philanthropic and international
development assistance, as well as individual giving, primarily because the organization
model, mission and objectives all aim at the permanence and sustainability of the
communities with which the organizations works.
The organization´s explicit goal is to work with communities over the long term.
Communities living in informality are mobilized, engaged and allowed to lead their own
regeneration process. TECHO brings a model of patient engagement, volunteers with
passion and stakeholders who can contribute technical skills, like legal land formalization
and urban design and architecture, to the table. Building housing is only one of many
outcomes from the whole process.

2. TECHO is also working to inform its own work and that housing policymakers with data on
informal communities. Private developers would do well to consider collaborating with
TECHO or supporting its efforts with grants and volunteers. Especially for developers that
have foundations, TECHO´s work to build social capital, agency and project ownership is
the same that newly built social and affordable housing communities need to ensure they
thrive.
Additionally the organization has a long history of responding to disaster situations, such
as earthquakes in Peru (2007), Haiti (2010) and Chile (2010).
Currently TECHO is working with more than 720,000 volunteers, it has constructed houses
for over 102,400 families in 19 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and have 2
offices located in Miami, FL, USA and London, England that work as funds hubs.
TECHO Methodology
TECHO is most known for its largest scale construction projects, building
transitional homes called “mediaguas” for people living in slums in Latin America. The
homes are made of wood and built by volunteers who work alongside the beneficiary
families. Transitional homes allow Latin America´s poorest populations to have a private,
safe and decent shelter; these basic results have long-term impacts which are being
evaluated in the impact study “Build a Brighter Future: A Housing Upgrading,” led by
academics from the World Bank and the University of California, Berkley.
In its second phase, TECHO coordinates social inclusion programs such as education,
healthcare, economic development, micro-finance, and vocational training. These
programs are organized around weekly community meetings led by residents of the area.
The third phase involves helping residents develop their own sustainable communities,
including construction of permanent housing.
Funding comes from grants, corporate support and individual donations.

4. Reflective Report Class Oct. 17, 2016-
Mariandrea Hernandez- M044610031
During the class of Oct. 17, 2016, we were able to discuss in our groups the three main
important points to develop a social enterprise. In order to create and develop a social
enterprise, the organization should be:
1. Based on our previous experiences:
Our social enterprise idea should be based on our previous experiences, so we will be able
to have previous knowledge of the problem, the market and we will know with which
resources we count on.
2. Social Value
Our social enterprise must have a social value for us and for the community we are
working. The social enterprise must create an impact of what we do, it must make a
difference to vulnerable people we are helping.
3. Financially Strong
Our social enterprise should be profitable. Social enterprises must not prioritise
social aims over viability. Social businesses exist to make money and do good, however it
is only through emphasizing the business side of social enterprise that the social mission
can be achieved.
In addition of the principal points for a social enterprise, we had to discuss and visualized
our target audience. What they are thinking and feeling?, What they see?, What they are
hearing? What they do and say?
As a group we were able to identify our strongest points, that were that we count with the
previous knowledge and some networks were we can know our target audience (in order
to make our research). We are sure we are creating social value. Nevertheless, we haven´t
figure it out how we will be capable of generating revenues and having a financially strong
enterprise.