Photo: Mother and daughter reading a book together, Uganda

Stories

Habitat for Humanity Europe, Middle East and Africa

The latest housing updates

from Habitat for Humanity

mother and child

A Temporary Solution, A Lifetime of Struggle

Marka Camp, also known as Schneller Camp, is located just 10 kilometers northeast of Amman, Jordan. Established in 1968 as a temporary refuge for displaced Palestinian families, the camp was initially intended to offer immediate relief and support for those fleeing conflict. The Jordanian government, in collaboration with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), sought to provide these refugees with safety and essential services during a period of great uncertainty. However, what was meant to be a short-term solution has, over time, turned into a more permanent reality.

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Holding a child hand

A Sanctuary for Refugees to Rebuild and Thrive

Located in the tranquil natural environment of Kiskunság, Hungary, sits Strazsa Tanya, a guesthouse and ranch. The property is named after the nearby Strázsa “mountain,” making it the perfect place to escape. After the Ukrainian invasion broke out, the facility transformed itself into a sanctuary for Ukrainian refugees, particularly those with disabilities and other cumulative disadvantages. Since then, the ranch has provided not only temporary shelter but also a pathway to rebuilding lives.

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Stories from Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Photo: a women and two children from Zambia sitting on stairs in front of their house

Africa

In Africa we empower low-income people to build a better life for themselves and their children.

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Inside a flat in Lebanon - two girls and their mother reading a book together

The Middle East

Our mission in the Middle East is to build a safe and stable environment where families and communities can thrive. 

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mother and daughter from Ukraine

Europe

More and more people in Europe face problems to find a decent place to live. We help to make homes affordable.

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Press releases

Bombed building

Habitat for Humanity strengthens its operations in Ukraine with new branch to support reconstruction and housing needs

September 09, 2024

Kyiv, Ukraine (September 9, 2024) – Habitat for Humanity, a global leader in affordable housing and community development, is proud to announce the official opening of its new branch in Ukraine. This expansion comes at a crucial time as the nation faces an unprecedented need for housing reconstruction and development following the ongoing war and displacement. The new branch will focus on providing safe, affordable housing, rebuilding damaged homes, and enhancing community resilience through local partnerships and advocacy for effective housing policies. It will prioritize the most vulnerable populations, including internally displaced persons (IDPs) and low-income families, and will work closely with local NGOs, private sector, and local authorities to ensure that reconstruction efforts align with sustainable development goals.

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BRAZ-23-CG-115-04683.jpg

Habitat for Humanity and Grundfos Forge Global Partnership to Address Housing and Water Challenges in Brazil

August 18, 2024

BRATISLAVA (August 19, 2024) – Habitat for Humanity and Grundfos, a global leader in advanced pump solutions and water technologies, are excited to announce a new global partnership aimed at improving housing conditions and water access for vulnerable communities in Brazil. This partnership will focus on empowering local communities through innovative solutions that address both social and environmental challenges.

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Building homes in Romania

Habitat for Humanity and James Hardie extend their partnership to activities in Europe

June 24, 2024

BRATISLAVA (June 7, 2024) – James Hardie, a global leader in high-performance building solutions, has announced extending their partnership to activities in Europe. This initiative follows the successful collaboration between James Hardie and Habitat for Humanity in the United States, where the two organizations have worked together to empower homeowners and build resilient homes.

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All stories

Houses

Building capacity for greater impact

Valbona Xhafa, regional manager at Fondi BESA, emphasizes the deep cultural value placed on homeownership in Albania: “We Albanians are very sensitive about our houses. We all want to [own] houses. That’s what it means to live well.” This widespread desire for better living conditions drove Fondi BESA to introduce a new housing loan product in 2021, backed by an investment from MicroBuild. The initial rollout of this product faced challenges, as Alma notes: “We’d had the product for more than a year, but we were hardly disbursing any housing loans.”

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houses

Building capacity for greater impact

“We used to have very small apartments,” Alma Mushi says of Albania’s Communist period from 1944 to 1991. Alma serves as deputy marketing director for Fondi BESA, Albania’s largest microfinance institution. “In my father’s house, there were eight or nine people living in two rooms and one kitchen. Everyone was living like that, with two or three sons (and their wives) in the same small apartment.”

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africa housing forum May 2022

What you need to know about the Africa Housing Forum

The first Africa Housing Forum is rapidly approaching, and we can’t wait to lead off the discussions on the future of African cities. This hybrid event will take place both virtually and in-person at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya on 12 – 14 May 2022. 

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roof construction

Housing Poverty in Romania: A New Housing Model

Habitat for Humanity Romania has recently launched a pilot project which aims to find the most cost-effective housing solution. There have been 6 buildings already built. Is it possible to build a house in 5 days? Find out more in this episode with our guest Roberto Pătrășcoiu - national director of Habitat for Humanity Romania.

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poland-house

Climate Change and Housing: How Must Our Homes Adapt

Climate change affects all areas of our daily lives. Recent study published by The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change says that Climate change is already affecting every inhabited region across the world. Do our homes need to change or has the process already started? How can we save energy? This and much more in the first episode of season 2 of Home Sapiens Podcast with our speaker Besim Nebiu. 

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slum-housing

What is a slum?

In episode 3 of our podcast series, we talk about informal settlements in Africa with Charles Witbooi, Program Head for Advocacy and Volunteering Engagement at Habitat for Humanity South Africa.

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books

Studying by candlelight

Episode 5 is driven by young enthusiasts. Linus Wahome, founder and CEO of ManPro Systems Ltd, shares his childhood and school memories . As a family of three tried hard to provide best conditions for their children, Linus and his siblings had to share one candle while doing their homework. Fortunately, this story has a happy ending.  

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woman-building

Equality in an unequal society

Episode 4 brings up the issue of gender equality. We take a closer look at customs and traditions in Lesotho. Stories of women evicted from their homes are typical in many communities in this country. Fungai Mukorah, national director of Habitat for Humanity Lesotho,  walks us through women’s experiences and their fight for shelter. 

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COVID19 Housing

COVID-19: Housing at the Center

Since COVID-19 pandemic first broke out in China in December 2019, affecting over 199 countries to date, it has brought the plight of poverty, inequality and the lack of services and opportunity into the spotlight and underscored one glaring reality.

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Measuring and Reporting Social Impact

Measuring and Reporting Social Impact

Ethical Corporation by Reuters Events hosts a one-hour webinar with senior leaders sharing their practical ideas on how to approach measuring and reporting social impact. This discussion is moderated by Heather Alner, EMEA Resource Development Director, Habitat for Humanity International.

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mother and child

A Temporary Solution, A Lifetime of Struggle

Marka Camp, also known as Schneller Camp, is located just 10 kilometers northeast of Amman, Jordan. Established in 1968 as a temporary refuge for displaced Palestinian families, the camp was initially intended to offer immediate relief and support for those fleeing conflict. The Jordanian government, in collaboration with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), sought to provide these refugees with safety and essential services during a period of great uncertainty. However, what was meant to be a short-term solution has, over time, turned into a more permanent reality.

Read more
Holding a child hand

A Sanctuary for Refugees to Rebuild and Thrive

Located in the tranquil natural environment of Kiskunság, Hungary, sits Strazsa Tanya, a guesthouse and ranch. The property is named after the nearby Strázsa “mountain,” making it the perfect place to escape. After the Ukrainian invasion broke out, the facility transformed itself into a sanctuary for Ukrainian refugees, particularly those with disabilities and other cumulative disadvantages. Since then, the ranch has provided not only temporary shelter but also a pathway to rebuilding lives.

Read more