The Dads Program
BAM fathers complete home improvement projects for families who do not own their land and therefore cannot receive a full BAM home.
Getting Started
“The Dads Program is a disaster!” Exclaimed Adolfo, one of our BAM founders, exasperated, as he sat down for a progress meeting with the team.
We had recently come up with an idea to have dads from BAM houses help people in their communities by completing construction projects for families who could not receive BAM homes. The women had become such strong leaders in the community and we wanted to find a way to get the men more involved. Apparently, putting a bunch of dads together without direction was not the best plan.
After a few failed attempts, our team of female leaders got involved, gave them some organization and direction, and now the Dads Program is one of the most awesome programs that we have. What started out as a “disaster,” according to Adolfo, has turned into an incredibly meaningful, life-giving, and impactful program.
The program impact
Improvement in the community
Every Sunday, 80-100 dads from our homes gather in groups to work together on several different home improvement projects throughout their communities for families who do not own their land or for some reason do not qualify for a BAM home.
The dads gain valuable construction experience as they share their skills and train each other on all aspects of home building. The community leaders have even organized electricity classes at the Community Center, preparing the fathers to do electrical work in homes.
Improvement in the dads
Over 300 fathers have now participated in the Dads Program. The men involved have told us that this program has changed their life and perspective – they have learned the value of helping others and have formed strong bonds with each other.
So many have tearfully shared the joy they feel when participating with this incredible group of men. It has been beautiful to see how this program has empowered these fathers and how much love they have for this project, for the other men in the group, and for the amazing work they are doing.
What the dads have been up to
The men in the Dads Program have completed over 125 projects in various different communities.
Here are some examples of what they do:
- Install heavy duty tarps to keep the rain out of people’s homes
- Pour cement pads inside of homes with dirt floors
- Install retaining walls to keep houses from sliding down hills
- Fix leaks in roofs or completely replace roofs
- Replace walls of homes that are falling apart
- Install electricity
We are very fortunate to support this beautiful dream of helping those who are in need. The truth is that I am supporting the Dads Project with all my love because it is very satisfying to be able to do something for our neighbors. My first project was helping at the home of an elderly couple. It was very nice because every Sunday they waited for us and you could feel their happiness in the way they thanked us. They were always smiling and saying how beautiful our work was. Therefore, the following Sunday we put in more effort because we were excited that the couple told us that they were finally going to have a beautiful home. The truth is that we are witnessing how we are changing the lives of people and that makes me feel rewarded. Now I feel happy because my life has a purpose, which is to help others and be a better person so that my children feel proud of their father when they become adults.
Miguel
Dads Program Participant
I feel very pleased to be part of the Dads Program. It has taught me to help others without expecting anything in exchange. It has also allowed me to learn new things from my colleagues since everyone contributes and teaches others whatever they know. We are a team and we put in our best effort every Sunday that we do a project. It is a big satisfaction helping people and seeing how we are slowly improving the lives of our neighbors and their families. To me, it’s a huge motivation to see the happy faces of the families that we support with the small help that we give every Sunday.
Jesus
Dads Program Participant
