The Situation in Andalusia
In the provinces of Almería and Huelva, in southern Spain, lies one of the largest agricultural production areas in Europe. Known as the “sea of plastic”, this region is covered by thousands of hectares of greenhouses supplying European markets with fruit and vegetables year-round. Behind this abundance, however, lies an intensive agricultural model based on the overexploitation of natural resources and a largely precarious migrant workforce, often undocumented and underpaid.
Due to the lack of adequate public policies on housing and social protection, thousands of workers live in informal settlements known as “chabolas”, built from agricultural waste near production areas. These settlements host both seasonal workers and permanent residents, some of whom have been living there for several years. This situation highlights the extreme vulnerability of populations essential to the Andalusian agricultural economy, yet forced to live in undignified conditions and deprived of fundamental rights.
For more details on this subject, please refer to this document.
Living and working conditions
In these intensive agricultural areas, precarity is pervasive. Working days often last 8 to 12 hours, with wages ranging from €3.50 to €5 per hour, and little to no enforcement of safety regulations or protection from chemical exposure.
This exploitation is compounded by systemic administrative exclusion. Access to fundamental rights is obstructed, and some workers are forced to pay hundreds to several thousand euros (up to €8,000) for administrative procedures or employment contracts offering no real guarantees.
Living conditions in the settlements are alarming: lack of access to drinking water, electricity and sanitation, no waste collection systems, dangerous makeshift solutions, and severe health risks.
Often located several kilometers from essential services, these settlements can require up to three hours of walking to reach water, food or healthcare, in areas without public transport or safe infrastructure.
Over time, these conditions have severe consequences for both physical and mental health, contributing to chronic illness, addiction, environmental hazards and social stigmatization.
Migrant women: extreme vulnerability
Migrant women represent the most fragile and invisible face of this system. Caught at the intersection of economic, social, administrative and gender-based violence, they often live isolated, undocumented and separated from their families. In the province of Huelva, their presence is particularly significant, with 800 to 1,000 women living in chabolas during the low season. In the absence of protection, sufficient income or alternatives, some women are exposed to situations of prostitution or trafficking, most often under direct or indirect coercion (economic pressure, dependency, threats or organized networks). These forms of violence have serious consequences for their physical and mental health, particularly regarding sexual and reproductive health, and further reinforce their social invisibility.
Areas of intervention
In this context, local associations play a crucial role. Despite very limited resources, they have for years provided essential aid distribution, administrative and legal support, as well as social, psychological and linguistic assistance. Their deep knowledge of the field and the trust built with local communities make them indispensable partners.
The proposed intervention aims primarily to strengthen their work, focusing on three complementary priorities:
In response to the accumulation of specific risks, the intervention focuses on the prevention, awareness-raising and protection of migrant women. This includes the distribution of essential items related to hygiene, sexual health and safety, strengthening volunteers’ skills on gender and violence-related issues, and contributing to the establishment of a safe mobile space dedicated to listening and support.
2. Improving environmental and sanitary conditions
The actions also aim to reduce health and environmental risks within the settlements. They support the strengthening of waste collection and management, local clean-up initiatives or participatory recycling projects, as well as the installation of safe water points. Awareness-raising activities on hygiene and environmental health are carried out, particularly targeting women and young people.
3. The van as a strategic intervention tool
The exploratory mission highlighted an urgent logistical need. The settlements are isolated, difficult to access, and require regular travel, which volunteers currently carry out using their personal vehicles. The van will facilitate access to remote areas, ensure the transport of humanitarian supplies (hygiene kits, drinking water, medical equipment, lamps, etc.), and create a safe and confidential mobile space for individual consultations. It strengthens field presence, improves coordination between stakeholders and reduces logistical constraints.
Initially, the intervention will focus on the province of Huelva, where the situation of migrant women is particularly concerning, before gradually expanding to other territories.
Project objectives
The first year will be dedicated to the acquisition and outfitting of a humanitarian van, the central tool of the intervention. This initial investment, designed with a long-term perspective, will gradually increase the effectiveness of the actions and ensure a sustainable and scalable model. The project primarily aims to strengthen the work of local associations, without replacing existing initiatives.
The van will address essential operational needs: improving mobility and access to the settlements, ensuring continuity of social, legal and psychological support, and supporting the development of new activities.
For the first year, the objective is to reach 100 direct beneficiaries through access to drinking water and sexual and reproductive health resources, as well as approximately 400 beneficiaries through environmental health actions.
The interventions will be carried out in partnership with 1 to 3 local associations, across 10 settlements, with priority given to Lucena del Puerto and Palos de la Frontera, where vulnerabilities are most pronounced.
