Hogar San Martín de Tours: Health and Dignity for Vulnerable Lives in Argentina

Rama Caída, a rural town in Mendoza’s San Rafael department, faces deep poverty and scarce resources. Some families often struggle to care for loved ones with disabilities, especially when essential medication is out of reach.

The Saint Martin of Tours House of Mercy is a sanctuary for 52 individuals with disabilities, offering not only shelter but also dignity, care, and opportunities for growth. Residents receive meals, clothing, therapeutic care, medical attention, and holistic workshops that nurture both body and spirit. Yet, one of the home’s greatest challenges is ensuring consistent access to life-saving medication, a cost that far exceeds the limited and irregular government support they receive.

One of the greatest challenges faced by the Saint Martin of Tours House of Mercy is the ongoing struggle to secure essential medication for its residents. Government support, when it arrives, is often insufficient and irregular, leaving the home to shoulder costs far beyond its means. 

Many of the 50 residents depend on daily, specialized treatments to manage severe disabilities, neurological conditions, and age-related illnesses. Without consistent funding, the risk of interruptions in care is constant, putting the health, stability, and dignity of the residents at stake. This project was created to confront that challenge directly, ensuring that no vulnerable life goes without the medication and support they urgently need.

Launched in 2024, this project ensures that residents of the House of Mercy have uninterrupted access to the medication they need. The process is carefully managed:

• Prescriptions issued by the home’s family doctor.
• Medication purchased in San Rafael.
• Medicines distributed by trained nursing staff.

This reliable system guarantees that every resident receives the proper care, without fear of going without.

The project directly supports 50 residents with severe or moderate disabilities who depend on prescribed medication for their well-being.

They include:

• 19 severely handicapped individuals with profound disabilities such as mental paralysis, Down syndrome, and autism.
• 17 children with moderate disabilities, supported through tailored education and joyful activities that encourage independence.
• 16 elderly residents, many living with conditions such as depression, Parkinson’s disease, or bipolar disorder, most of whom had no place to turn before arriving at the House of Mercy.

For the residents of the House of Mercy, access to medication means stability, dignity, and hope. By supporting this project, Defi For Good is ensuring that some of society’s most vulnerable individuals receive not just care, but the chance to live with greater health, safety, and humanity.