More than 40 million Brazilians live in housing that suffers from residual damp, mold, and poor ventilation, all factors that contribute to serious public health problems. Jardim Pantanal is a poor community, in the East Zone of São Paulo built on wetland at the edge of the city. High humidity and frequent flooding mean many residents live in housing that is permanently damp and in constant need of repair.Founded in 2014 Moradigna provides building and renovation services to low-income households in Jardim Pantanal, helping residents improve their living environment and their health.
Matheus Cardoso, founder of Moradigna is a resident of Jardim Pantanal. “When families realize they can transform the whole house they feel empowered, knowing that they can live in a better environment. Its is not a privilege, it’s a human right. A house is the most important part of many peoples lives, to Moradigna, making people feel comfortable and healthy inside their own home is very gratifying.”
Currently, Moradigna employees +22 workers from the local area and has transformed more than 100 houses, impacting more than 500 lives. Moradigna has proven that there is a huge unmet demand of this kind of service in low-income communities in Brazil.
Since the 1980s, pioneers like Bill Drayton, Muhammad Yunus and Anita Roddick have led through action, creating powerful examples of business solutions to societal or environmental issues. They called it social business, social entrepreneurship or impact entrepreneurship.
Last week, we celebrated our 10 year anniversary! For the first time in two years and two months of restricted travel, YSB Co-Founder & Chairman Prof. Yunus was able to leave his home country of Bangladesh in order to join us in person.
Why do we need a social sector? Shouldn’t businesses create economic opportunities and governments ensure a just distribution of these opportunities and set incentives and boundaries such that the environment is protected?