Around 80 people have already been housed in municipal facilities during this campaign thanks to the collaboration between the City Council, Cáritas Diocesana Barbastro Monzón and the Comarca del Bajo/Baix Cinca
Agricultural workers are moving this Tuesday to the Clara Campoamor housing complex from the Fraga municipal shelter, which has already accommodated around 80 people since the service began in early May. These accommodations, with a capacity for 40 people, will house those arriving in the city without housing and seeking employment during the fruit harvest season, a program that last month was implemented at the shelter in the capital of the Bajo Cinca region.
These facilities will be active until the end of the campaign in September, and people will be able to stay overnight for a limited time until they find work; from then on, the employer has the obligation to guarantee decent housing for their workers.
This space, which aims to address a problem that has affected this fruit-growing area for decades, consists of four dormitory modules, as well as other sheds that include a dining room, kitchen, toilets and laundry room, among others.
The city's mayor, Ignacio Gramún, explained that "this project represents progress for Fraga on an issue that has been entrenched for many years." He added, "This facility will provide accommodation; seasonal workers will no longer be sleeping on the streets. It will offer social and employment guidance and ensure basic food and hygiene standards are met."
On the other hand, the mayor stressed that "every agricultural business owner has the duty and obligation to provide accommodation for their workers," indicating that these homes are a "stopgap for those who arrive in Fraga and do not yet have work on the farms."
Finally, Gramún celebrated that “these achievements are the result of the hard work and teamwork of a team. Working together is important, so I want to thank Cáritas and its director, Amparo Tierz, and the Regional Social Services, because ultimately I believe that things are achieved by working together.”
For her part, the director of Cáritas Diocesana Barbastro-Monzón, Amparo Tierz, commented that this entity has been in the Bajo Cinca region for 25 years and, “as a result of this work, in which we have seen a lot of substandard housing and many people in bad situations, we have worked to achieve what we are starting today.”
Regarding the budget for the device, Tierz commented that "we are going to exceed the budget," which demonstrates "everyone's willingness to ensure the well-being of those being cared for; that is the main thing."
“For now we are happy, we want to thank everyone you see here, because this is a coordinated team effort, and we hope it goes well, that's what we want to say at the end of the campaign,” said the director of Cáritas.
The regional councilor for Social Services, Sara Campos, has acknowledged that it is "a tough campaign in terms of work, because it is a year in which there have been no frosts, no hail, and if the weather continues as it is there will be excess work and manpower will be needed."
“It’s a very good initiative from the Fraga City Council, Cáritas’ management has been outstanding, and Social Services has been there with the technical service of the Bajo/Baix Cinca region to help in everything that has been needed,” said Campos, assuring that “all three parties will put forth every effort to make it turn out as well as possible.”
Furthermore, the regional councilor stated that "farmers are quite aware" of the housing issue. "With this type of housing and community support, we're going to try to prevent this from happening again," she said, referring to the problem of substandard housing.
Finally, the Fraga councilor for Health, Ángel Cabrera, highlighted that “we are very happy”, since “today we put an end to 30 years of neglect of people who come to work from outside, and this is an impressive achievement, and if you also say that it is a pioneering project, all the better”.
