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

Women holding a photo frame in front of a build site

How Volunteerism is transforming housing and communities in Africa

On 12 August, volunteer sector experts from across Africa gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to mark International Youth Day by celebrating the transformative power of volunteering. For the first time, the African Union recognized the contributions of volunteers across the continent by launching the State of Volunteerism in Africa Report.The report positions volunteerism as a vital driver of Africa’s development aspirations, particularly in advancing Agenda 2063. It highlights that Africa contributes an estimated 5.9 million hours of voluntary service every month—valued at over USD 353.5 million annually. 

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Group photo at the IPCC workshop

Housing at the heart of urban climate action: Highlights from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Climate Change and Cities Workshop

Cities across the Global South are on the frontline of climate impacts, yet the needs and voices of communities in informal settlements are often overlooked in climate research, policy responses, and financing. This gap was a central theme at the recent IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Special Report on Climate Change and Cities (SRCities) workshop, held on the sidelines of the Africa Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN).

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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

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From Empty Spaces to Homes: Abandoned Tenement in Piaseczno Gets a New Lease of Life

September 16, 2025

On Monday, 8 September, renovation works began at 1 Nadarzyńska Street, led by a team of 21 employee volunteers from Australia, Canada, China, Croatia, Denmark, France, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Swapping their work places for paint rollers, the group traded business attire for hard hats and work clothes, following safety training before diving into four days of hands-on renovation.

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How Hungary’s Empty Spaces Could Become the Future of Affordable Housing

April 08, 2025

Hungary’s housing landscape presents a striking contradiction. Despite a growing number of dwellings—over 4.5 million—more than 570,000 stand vacant, while nearly 3 million people struggle with housing poverty. At the same time, the country’s population continues to shrink, creating a disconnect between where homes exist and where they’re needed most. A new research study from Habitat for Humanity Hungary takes a deep dive into this complex picture, offering an eye-opening look at how a more inclusive, affordable, and sustainable housing future might be built—quite literally—out of empty spaces.

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All stories

little girl smiling

Happy and healthy in a Habitat home

The moment their Habitat for Humanity home was completed, Gabriela, Valentin and their 2-year-old daughter, Evelina moved in – even though it was Christmas Eve. “We were so excited to start the new year in our home,” says Gabriela. So excited, in fact, that the young family only brought a mattress and Christmas tree with them on move-in day.

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mother and daughter

Finding Laughter Again: Syrian Family's New Life in Jordan

  In 2012, Mustafa’s typical day as a cab driver in Syria took an abrupt turn. During a routine exchange with a passenger about the ongoing war, he made a passing jest about a statue of the Syrian president. This offhand remark led to his arrest and brutal imprisonment two days later.   

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Family

The Cretu family: building more than a home

In the modest embrace of their Holboca commune apartment, the Cretu family finds joy in the simple things: the children’s daily tales from school, shared meals, and laughter. Andreea, a nurse, and Marius, a construction worker, have built a life that honors commitment and love.

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people receiving prize

ComAct shortlisted for the EU Sustainable Energy Week Award

On September 26, 2022, ComAct partners participated in the EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) Award Ceremony after having been selected as one of the three finalists in the local energy action category. In total, twelve outstanding projects, chosen by an expert jury for their innovative approach to energy efficiency and renewables, have been competing in four categories.

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Ukrainian women sitting in the park in Warsaw

“Your house is your home.”

At the sound of sirens, three-year-old Marta ran to her mom and grandma’s side, begging them to help her get dressed and put her shoes on so she could run to the bomb shelter. But there was no need. The family was safe in Warsaw, Poland.

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europe-housing-forum

Join Europe Housing Forum 2021 online

The Europe Housing Forum 2021 takes place online on November 16-19, 2021. The importance of housing as a driver of economic growth and sustainability in human settlements will be one of the central discussions during the Forum. The Europe Housing Forum aims to bring together different stakeholders to discuss solutions to complex housing problems in the region. Sessions take place in the afternoons.

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woman-in-beirut

Rebuilding Beirut: Supporting the most vulnerable

A devastating blast ripped through the Port of Beirut on Aug. 4, 2020 destroying entire sections of the city. Officials estimate that more than 170,000 people live in homes that need to be reconstructed. A year later, investigation findings have not been disclosed and no one has been held accountable.  

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students

Generous Support in Difficult Times

The high school in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, usually volunteers with Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village program. With the COVID-19 pandemic going on, there was no way they could travel to the build site. Many students know how important a decent home to protect against diseases. They decided to raise and donate funds to Habitat for home construction. In these difficult times, the school collected 16,000 USD to support Habitat programs in Lebanon and India.

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woman and man in africa

2020 – Homes, Communities, Hope, You

Even as COVID-19 significantly impacted Habitat’s ability to build at full capacity — and likely will continue to do so in many locations well into 2021 — we still have seen great progress and positive results. In fiscal year 2020, we helped more than 5.9 million people build or improve a place to call home.

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Women holding a photo frame in front of a build site

How Volunteerism is transforming housing and communities in Africa

On 12 August, volunteer sector experts from across Africa gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to mark International Youth Day by celebrating the transformative power of volunteering. For the first time, the African Union recognized the contributions of volunteers across the continent by launching the State of Volunteerism in Africa Report.The report positions volunteerism as a vital driver of Africa’s development aspirations, particularly in advancing Agenda 2063. It highlights that Africa contributes an estimated 5.9 million hours of voluntary service every month—valued at over USD 353.5 million annually. 

Read more
Group photo at the IPCC workshop

Housing at the heart of urban climate action: Highlights from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Climate Change and Cities Workshop

Cities across the Global South are on the frontline of climate impacts, yet the needs and voices of communities in informal settlements are often overlooked in climate research, policy responses, and financing. This gap was a central theme at the recent IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Special Report on Climate Change and Cities (SRCities) workshop, held on the sidelines of the Africa Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN).

Read more