Construction of the new Bañado Tacumbú neighbourhood is progressing steadily. The work is shaping up to be one of the most important social projects undertaken by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications. This aim at improving the lives of some 1,500 families in Asunción in its first phase.
Life of María Christina in Bañado Tacumbú
Among those experiencing this change with excitement is María Cristina Vera, better known as Ña Mari, a longtime resident of Bañado Tacumbú and owner of the El Edén grocery store.
“I came here in ’82, when we did not have buses or even roads,”she says. “It was all hardship. Then we met Father Pedro, who helped the neighbourhood a lot. Now the new neighbourhood is coming, and we are absolutely thrilled.”
With a voice somewhere between nostalgia and hope, she recalls the difficult years when rains and floods left families isolated. “We went through a lot. There were times when the water rose and we did not know where to go. Now, with this project, we feel like we are finally being seen that we are part of the city.”
“Many people from the neighbourhood are working on it. My husband and son are there, and that fills me with joy. There were people who did not believe this would ever happen until it was done and they saw it. I hope that very soon we can be back in our homes. I always ask God to give me life to see that. What excites me most is thinking that my grandchildren will grow up in a better place, with a school, a park, and streetlights,” she concludes.
Part of the Rehabilitation Programme
The new Bañado Tacumbú neighbourhood is part of the Bañado Sur Housing and Rehabilitation Programme. The project is financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). This phase includes the installation of drinking water, stormwater and sewage drainage networks, electricity, paved streets, streetlights, and recreational spaces.
The works are being carried out by the TYCIV II Consortium, under the supervision of HYTSA, in the Capitán Bozzano sector. The first 1,500 social housing units, out of the 2,500 planned, will be built later, transforming the lives of at least 10,000 people.
The new neighbourhood will also include family health clinics, schools, public transportation stops, plazas, and bike paths. The goal is to create a fully serviced, safe, and sustainable community with a strong social and environmental component.
