UA Student Volunteers for Homebuilding Project in Hometown

A team of UA students and professors spent spring break building a home for a family of six in Agua Prieta, Mexico.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 8:21am

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A group of University of Arizona students and professors traveled to Agua Prieta, Mexico during their spring break to volunteer with a nonprofit organization called Rancho Feliz and help build a home for a family of six. The students, including Fatima Rodriguez who is from Agua Prieta, worked alongside local workers to construct a Highly-Johansen style home designed to withstand extreme desert temperatures.

Why it matters

The project highlights the housing insecurity faced by many low-income families in Agua Prieta, where the average monthly income is around $394. By partnering with Rancho Feliz, the UA team was able to contribute to providing safe and affordable housing for a local family in need.

The details

Over the course of several days, the UA students and professors worked alongside local Agua Prieta workers to design and build a 54th Highly-Johansen style home for a family of six. The home is meant to withstand the region's extreme temperatures. The students, including Fatima Rodriguez who is from Agua Prieta, learned construction skills and were able to apply what they've learned in the classroom to a real-world project.

  • The UA team spent their spring break, from March 14-21, 2026, in Agua Prieta building the home.
  • The home was completed within several days of the team's arrival.

The players

Fatima Rodriguez

A third-year architecture student at the University of Arizona who is from Agua Prieta, Mexico.

Rancho Feliz

A nonprofit organization that facilitates homebuilding for low-income families in Agua Prieta.

Monica Gery

The program director at Rancho Feliz.

University of Arizona College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture

The university department that organized the spring break volunteering trip to Agua Prieta.

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What they’re saying

“Although many people define it as a smaller place that isn't very pretty, I think it's charming because you know lots of people, you can go out and it's relatively calm and safe.”

— Fatima Rodriguez, UA Student

“On the outskirts of the city, there's severe poverty, so I understand there are people who cannot afford to buy a house and it's always best to have a roof over your head. If there's a housing shortage, then we should build more homes for people.”

— Fatima Rodriguez, UA Student

“What's unique about Rancho Feliz is our reciprocal giving philosophy which is reflected in all our programs. For our housing program, each family contributes a small participation fee and work alongside volunteers helping with construction, painting and often preparing meals for the group.”

— Monica Gery, Program Director, Rancho Feliz

What’s next

The UA team plans to continue partnering with Rancho Feliz on future homebuilding projects in Agua Prieta.

The takeaway

This project demonstrates how university students can apply their skills and knowledge to make a meaningful impact on underserved communities, while also gaining valuable real-world experience. The collaboration between UA and Rancho Feliz highlights the power of cross-border partnerships to address critical housing needs.