Because we used free and open source technology like Google Plus Codes in a way no one used it before, to provide people with a dignified home, but beyond that, a better life.

Plus Codes are alphanumeric codes that take into consideration latitude and longitude. They work as a substitute for an address, allowing people to get their official ID’s, receive mail and even call for an ambulance. But moreso, getting recognition from the government to plan ahead for basic services like, potable water, electricity and paving.

This was a societal challenge that needed positive and transformative change.

In the world, there are thousands of abandoned places that don't even appear on Google. Communities that remain invisible. In Mexico, more than 47 million people don’t have a home, let alone an address. They lack basic services and are not recognized by the government.

In this context, Techo, an NGO that builds houses for the people that live in informal settlements, needed to help make these communities visible. And we did that by addressing the problem and by, literally, giving them an address using Google technology.

In Mexico, more than 47 million people don’t have a home, let alone an address. They lack basic services and are not recognized by the government.

How to help make these communities visible?

By literally addressing the unaddressed with technology. We used geolocation technology like never before to give them addresses so they could start getting their official ID’s, receive mail and even call for an ambulance, and in consequence getting recognition from the government to plan ahead for basic services like, potable water, electricity and paving.

Communities that are invisible to society needed not only a decent house, but an address to have access to a dignified life.

TECHO presents: Address the Invisible, a social initiative where technology dignified communities that no one had seen before. Techo gave them a decent place to live. Then, in collaboration with Google, through an unprecedented use of their geolocation technology called Plus Codes, we gave them an address.

11 October 2023 - First use of Google Plus Codes by Techo in an informal settlement

28 February 2024 - Local Government pledges to plan ahead for basic services in Ixtapaluca Municipality

23 March 2024- Establishment of the use of Google Plus Codes as a regular process for Techo in the upcoming projects

Google Plus Codes are alphanumeric codes that take into consideration latitude and longitude, segmenting the whole world in a grid. They are free and open source. They work as a substitute for an address and can even be found in Google Maps, allowing people to get their official ID’s, receive mail and even call for an ambulance as they now have a recognizable address. But using them in a never seen before way, allowed us to get recognition from the government to plan ahead for basic services like potable water, electricity and paving.

TECHO is currently using this technology as a common practice in all of their house building processes.

We helped hundreds of communities and thousands of families to have a decent place to live and an address to start getting their official IDs, receive mail, and even call for an ambulance.

The support of government leaders like the Mayor of the Ixtapaluca Municipality in the State of Mexico allowed people to change their attitude towards communities that were otherwise invisible. Now Mexicans see Techo not only as builders of decent homes for the outcast, but as allies to help them claim a dignified living with basic services.

Though this initiative was mainly applied throughout Mexico, it has the scalability to reach all of Latin America and the world. Techo International is on its way to making this an international common practice.

Google Plus Codes are free and open source. This has allowed Techo to let their money donors know that every donation is used primarily to build homes.