Families partner with Habitat for Humanity across the Middle East to build or improve a place they can call home. With our support, families gain the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives. In Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, we address urgent housing needs, support displaced populations and foster sustainable, resilient communities.
Egypt
Egypt is home to one of the world’s fastest-growing populations. With more than 60% of its population under the age of 30, the current housing shortage is expected to increase, especially for low-income groups.
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Improving housing through partnership
Habitat for Humanity Egypt works with five local partners to identify the most vulnerable families and provide small loans for home repairs. We build the capacity of community-based organizations and local committee volunteers through training in microfinance portfolio management and ongoing support for the local community.
Water, sanitation and hygiene
We contribute to sustainable communities through water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) projects that target more than 300 families in rural areas. We train health workers to address WASH issues and engage household members and local committee members to improve hygiene standards. During the COVID-19 pandemic, awareness-raising campaigns significantly contributed to the overall health of target communities.
Housing support services
Habitat Egypt provides technical support, such as advice on decent housing standards that contribute to health, safety and security. Our team of specialized engineers oversees projects and supervises labor and implementation, upholding international quality standards and Habitat’s building codes.
Volunteer engagement
We facilitate volunteer opportunities by organizing build camps for youth, where they can experience construction and understand their role in building better communities.
Climate adaptation
By focusing on informal settlements inclusively, our project aims to influence policymakers to integrate climate-resilient solutions and provide basic services. We emphasize efficient, innovative financing for adequate housing to support policy directives in upgrading informal settlements. To address urban heat island effects, we help households adapt to adverse climatic conditions through small-scale interventions. Our goal is to empower residents of selected informal settlements by establishing a local community of practice that raises awareness of climate resilience and builds on existing local adaptation practices.
To find out more, visit www.habitategypt.org and www.facebook.com/HabitatEgypt.
Jordan
Jordan has been a safe haven for people displaced by wars and unrest in neighboring countries, hosting approximately 1.3 million Syrian refugees.
According to the Jordan Response Plan 2020-2022, the presence of refugees and vulnerable Jordanians has raised demand for low-income housing, causing overcrowding and deteriorating infrastructure in urban areas such as East Amman.
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Shelter rehabilitation
Through its shelter rehabilitation interventions, Habitat for Humanity supports both Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanian households. We prioritize vulnerable groups such as female-headed households, older adults and families with persons with disabilities. Rehabilitation work improves the living conditions of families, directly impacting their health, safety, security and general well-being. To strengthen social cohesion within the communities it serves, Habitat has identified and rehabilitated essential community infrastructure in some neighborhoods and upgraded access to basic services and facilities in medical, community and childcare centers as well as schools and public spaces.
Working with local community-based organizations
Habitat Jordan provides access to microloans that help low-income families build, rehabilitate or repair their homes. We offer training and capacity-building services to community-based organizations in marginalized neighborhoods who in turn manage the loans and support families in their rehabilitation efforts.
Green, affordable housing
We implement green housing solutions that help ease the energy and water shortages in a country grappling with these issues. The application of green building designs, techniques and materials raises awareness of green, affordable housing, enhances the knowledge and skills of laborers and communities, and empowers them to pursue new work opportunities.
Volunteer opportunities
Habitat Jordan welcomes volunteer groups from various parts of the world, including the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. We also foster a volunteering culture among Jordanian youth by working with local schools and encouraging students over 16 to participate in building and home rehabilitation efforts with low-income families.
Lebanon
Lebanon shelters a staggering 1.7 million refugees, making it the country with the highest refugee concentration per capita. In 2019, Lebanon experienced an economic downturn that resulted in 80% of its inhabitants living in poverty.
Further complications arose in 2020 when an explosion involving 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate ravaged Beirut, damaging over 200,000 homes and leading to widespread substandard housing and limited access to essential services.
Since September 2024, Lebanon has experienced a sharp rise in casualties and displacement, adding to the severe impact of over 11 months of ongoing violence. Habitat is committed to supporting displaced families by upgrading collective shelters and providing essential services to those in need. Together with our partners, we are working toward early recovery and long-term stability.
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Housing microfinance program
Since 2001, Habitat has responded to the widespread but unmet shelter and housing needs of low-income families through various projects. Habitat Lebanon ran a housing microfinance program offering microloans to people who would otherwise not have access to credit. Habitat’s programming prioritized female-headed households and households with members who have disabilities, with subsidized loans and repayment schedules adjusted to their financial circumstances.
Responding to the Syrian refugee crisis
In 2017, Habitat began rehabilitating houses in marginalized neighborhoods for vulnerable Lebanese and non-Lebanese families. By introducing repairs to elevate home standards and enhance service access, they prioritized female-led households and those with older adults or members who have disabilities. Habitat’s actions aimed to improve WASH facility access and increase home safety and security.
School repairs
This program was designed to help public schools absorb more school-aged refugees into the formal system through renovated schools that ran second shifts to accommodate children from refugee families.
Response to Beirut port blast
In partnership with official bodies and Catholic Relief Services, Habitat addressed damage in two neighborhoods affected by the blast. They repaired cracks, leaks, doors, windows and damaged WASH facilities, assisting 206 families and 25 businesses during pandemic lockdowns. To promote community cohesion, Habitat organized workshops to identify communal projects enhancing neighborhood security. Using the International Federation of the Red Cross’ Participatory Approach for Safe Shelter Awareness, communities launched projects introducing street lighting, rectifying hazardous cables and refurbishing facades.