Marco Antonio was born 56 years ago in Cerro de Pasco, capital of the district of Chaupimarca in Peru. He proudly claims it as the highest city in the world, some 3,500 meters above sea level, where he earned his living as a horseman.
On June 7, 2022, he landed at Madrid airport. For almost a year he slept in hostels and hostels facing a myriad of difficulties. The one that marked him the most was the journey he made every morning to get to his job on the farm in a village on the outskirts of the capital. "12 metro stops and a bus ride," Marcó repeated quietly, recalling the route.
After thinking about it for a few seconds, he considered as "a push" his entry, in April 2023, on the floor of the Housing Rights program, developed by Provivienda and HOGAR SÍ, with funding from the European Next Generation funds of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, through the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030 and in collaboration with 12 public administrations.
"I always told Provivienda and HOGAR SÍ that if I found a job I could depend on myself. Thank God the program was a very good motivation to get it," he said. A couple of months ago, the Cerreño began working as a cattle rancher, which has allowed him to design his exit plan from the project to continue his life outside the homelessness network.
One of the objectives of the Housing Rights program has been for people to achieve full autonomy in their lives, as Marco achieved. He fondly remembered the technicians who accompanied him during his stay on the project floor. "Eduardo and Medina were my guardian angels. They have always supported me, taking care of me and worrying about everything. With their words they encouraged me to move forward," he said emotionally.
Recently he was offered the opportunity to move to a village in Cantabria to continue working in the countryside. Since he was a child he always wanted to live in the countryside because it reminded him of his best years on his grandfather's farm. Marco explained with enthusiasm his decision to move to the village to set up in the future "a small equestrian center", after the work and experience he has been developing during this time, besides being for him the most beautiful place where he can build a new life.
Another of Marco's fundamental goals during this time has been to regularize his administrative situation, which he hopes to achieve in a few months after a long process initiated during the project, thanks to the personalized and flexible accompaniment that responded to his interests and vital needs.
His life has improved in every way, but if there was one thing he emphasized, it was his mental health. "I didn't come here to be supported by the state or aid. I came here to get the life I longed for. I needed a push and the program gave it to me," she said. With his goals accomplished (or almost) in his suitcase on his way to Cantabria, Marco looked back to remember that migrants have more obstacles in finding housing. Nevertheless, he affirmed: "I would like to share with my colleagues who are still in the program that it is possible, with or without papers.
