Program recognized internationally for transforming housing, employment, and community development
BOGOTÁ, BARRANQUILLA - Curaçao’s flagship social housing initiative, Mi Kas Awor, has gained strong international recognition following a high-level mission to Colombia by representatives of the Ministry of Social Development, Labor and Welfare (SOAW) and the Fundashon Kas Popular (FKP). The visit confirmed the program’s credibility, measurable economic impact, and its long-term social value.
During meetings in Bogotá and Barranquilla, experts concluded that Mi Kas Awor is far more than a housing project — it is a structural driver of social and economic development that creates jobs, stimulates production, and strengthens Curaçao’s social fabric.
Economic Growth Through Social Policy
According to a financial analysis presented by Dr. Luis Felipe Henao, former Colombian Minister of Housing, every 1 guilder invested in Mi Kas Awor generates between 1.5 and 8 guilders in economic return.
This multiplier effect comes from employment creation, local production, consumption, and tax revenues — turning what was once viewed as a subsidy into a self-sustaining economic cycle.
“Each home represents an entire chain of economic activity — from contractors to suppliers, mechanics, and vendors,” said Arthur Con, Director of FKP.
“Mi Kas Awor sets a national cycle of work, pride, and purchasing power in motion.”
Scientific Measurement of Social Progress
Economists, including Roberto Angulo, founder of the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), helped establish a framework that allows Curaçao to measure and manage poverty reduction through data-driven evaluation.
This approach ensures that Mi Kas Awor delivers tangible improvements — from access to jobs and education to better financial self-sufficiency. The program is also the first in Curaçao’s history to use such measurable tools to define and fight poverty.
Training in financial behavior, community development, and homeownership responsibility ensures that participating families grow sustainably — not just by owning a home, but by building a future.
Work as the Foundation of Dignity
Through a partnership with SENA, Colombia’s national training authority, Curaçao is establishing a dual vocational training system to certify hundreds of local workers in construction, maintenance, energy, and installation technologies tied to Mi Kas Awor projects.
“Work is the new form of social security,” said Minister Charetti America-Francisca.
“Mi Kas Awor is not just a housing project — it’s a national instrument that uplifts families, restores communities, and prioritizes the dignity of work.”
International Recognition and Cooperation
During meetings with the Colombian Senate, CAFAM, and CAMACOL, Curaçao’s delegation strengthened institutional partnerships.
Senate President Lidio García Turbai announced plans for a bilateral cooperation framework between Colombia and Curaçao in housing, employment, and social policy.
CAFAM, Colombia’s leading social housing institution, will provide digital tools, family support frameworks, and monitoring systems to help Curaçao expand Mi Kas Awor’s capacity and implementation.
These acknowledgments position Curaçao as a regional leader in social innovation, demonstrating that well-designed social programs can be both efficient and transparent.
Barranquilla Confirms: Housing as Economic Logic
Barranquilla Mayor Alejandro Char welcomed the Curaçao delegation, sharing how his city replicated Colombia’s discontinued “Mi Casa Ya” program with its own “Mi Techo Propio”, funded entirely by local resources.
“When the national support stopped, we couldn’t turn our backs on the program — we built one identical to it,” Char explained.
The results speak for themselves: Barranquilla’s investment of 400 billion pesos generated over 3 trillion pesos in housing sales and economic activity — a 1:10 return ratio.
Char cited personal success stories, like a domestic worker who used to travel three hours daily to work but now lives five minutes away thanks to a housing subsidy.
“Tell me that’s not a miracle of life,” he said. “That’s the power of good housing policy.”
A New Social Contract for Curaçao
For FKP, this Colombian example confirms what Mi Kas Awor can achieve at home — not just building houses, but improving lives, creating jobs, and restoring dignity.
The resulting employment growth also contributes to reduced crime rates, reinforcing tourism and investment confidence in Curaçao.
“Our success doesn’t come from political ambition but from the conviction that human capital is Curaçao’s true source of prosperity,” said Arthur Con.
“With Mi Kas Awor, social support is becoming a productive reality — empowering people in ways assistance alone never could.”
With proven impact, measurable outcomes, and community engagement, Mi Kas Awor now represents a new social contract for Curaçao — one that promises not only housing but stability, opportunity, and justice.
“With Mi Kas Awor, Curaçao begins a new era,” the delegation concluded, “one where every family contributes to — and shares in — the island’s progress.”