Mexico

As a child, José Shabot Cherem would spend his Saturdays visiting the building sites where his father worked. Inspired, José followed in his footsteps and found work in the construction industry after completing a degree in Engineering. It was there he witnessed the hardships that many construction workers faced. Some would commute for several hours, and many were illiterate and had little or no education. Determined to make a difference, José launched his own affordable housing development and, in 2009, founded Quiero Casa.

Quiero Casa’s goal is to build affordable homes for Mexican families that are close to their place of work and near good transportation links and facilities. As a social entrepreneur, José hopes to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy that affects many construction workers in Mexico by bringing education and personal development opportunities directly to their place of work.

This strong desire to make a difference drives all of Quiero Casa’s projects. José believes that treating low-income homeowners with respect has been the foundation for his company’s rapid growth over the past 10 years. Today, the company employs almost 500 people and builds around 1,800 homes per year.