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

How alternative building technologies are expanding affordable housing in Kenya

Decent housing remains out of reach for many low-income families in Kenya due to rising construction costs and limited access to affordable building materials. To help address this challenge Habitat for Humanity Kenya is championing alternative building technologies that reduce construction costs, create local economic opportunities and expand access to safe sustainable housing.

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When the rain no longer brings fear: Strengthening access to water and sanitation in Makululu, Zambia

For Mary, a mother and grandmother living in Makululu, an informal settlement in Zambia, the sound of rain once brought fear. Through a community-driven Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Habitat for Humanity Zambia partnered with residents and local government to transform access to essential services. 

Read more

World Malaria Day 2026 | Rethinking homes to stop malaria

In many parts of the world, the word home evokes safety. But for millions of families living in substandard housing, home is where some of the greatest health risks begin. From respiratory diseases to heat-related illnesses and vector‑borne illnesses like malaria, unsafe housing conditions expose low‑income families to dangers that no one should have to endure.This World Malaria Day, Habitat for Humanity recognizes the life‑saving power of healthy housing, because preventing malaria requires a holistic approach, where mainstream tools like nets and medicine work hand in hand with strong walls, secure roofs, good ventilation and the dignity of a home that protects the people who live in it.

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Stories from Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Africa

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

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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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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

Former Kindergarten Becomes Affordable Housing for Displaced Families in Ukraine

May 06, 2026

(Kalush, Ukraine – 30 April, 2026) Even as the war continues, Ukraine is rebuilding—not only its infrastructure, but also its communities. In the western Ukrainian city of Kalush, an abandoned kindergarten has been transformed into 48 modern, affordable apartments, providing homes for around 150 people. What was once an empty public building for over 20 years is now a vibrant residential complex for internally displaced families.

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Lets open the door

March 23, 2026

Habitat for Humanity Europe and the Middle East joins Let’s Open the Door, a global campaign to ignite urgency around access to affordable and adequate housing.The global housing crisis is one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Every day, 1 in 3 people worldwide wake up without access to a safe, affordable home—a reality that continues to shape health, opportunity and economic stability across generations.

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Europe Housing Day 2026

March 20, 2026

Europe Housing Day is Habitat for Humanity’s annual event focused on the future of housing in Europe. This year, we will explore how to unlock EU funding and private finance in the next MFF to help make housing more affordable, how to reduce energy poverty through energy-efficient apartment buildings, and what role vacant buildings can play in improving affordability and scaling up housing supply. Join us!

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Tanzania Mortgage Refinance Company and Habitat for Humanity launch housing microfinance solutions to expand affordable housing access in Tanzania

March 04, 2026

DAR ES SALAAM, March 4, 2026 – The Tanzania Mortgage Refinance Company (TMRC), in partnership with Habitat for Humanity International, today announced the official launch of new Retail and Wholesale Housing Microfinance products designed to enable more low-income households – especially those working in the informal sector, to build, improve or expand their homes affordably.

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All stories

From Gaza to Romania: A story of strength and hope

“We were waiting for death,” says Asma, a 23-year-old nursing school graduate and the daughter of Khaled and Daniela. Reflecting on the past month in Gaza, she recounts the experiences of her family. Her father, a 60-year-old mechanical engineer, and her mother, a 54-year-old born and raised in Brașov, Romania, were part of the first group of evacuees from the Gaza Strip to arrive in Romania on November 8. Their large, close-knit family of 13 includes their 6-month-old granddaughter Hanan, whose name means compassion and affection.

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What is energy poverty?

Energy powers communities. Healthcare workers and teachers depend on energy to heal and educate their communities. Energy keeps homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

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Build better lives

On the 29th August 2023, ahead of the second EPBD trilogue under the Spanish Council Presidency, 67 civil society organisations, social, health and environmental NGOs, trade unions and youth movements across Europe have signed onto a joint statement calling on their elected representatives to deliver an ambitious and socially just EU Buildings Directive (EPBD) before the end of the year.

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Water is life

In Zambia, many families are challenged every day to survive. Mathabo Makuta, national director of Habitat for Humanity Zambia, discusses problems with access to clean water and water borne diseases.  

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Building Solid Ground

Habitat’s Compendium of Best Practices for Housing in Africa, produced by the EU-funded Build Solid Ground project, documents positive stories of change in the areas of adequate and affordable housing, including basic services, land tenure and slum upgrading.

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Does the right to housing exist?

Episode 1 welcomes listeners to the world of housing. Architect Esben Neander Kristensen, Director at Gehl, explains the difference between home and housing, discusses the right to housing, and provides insights into how the COVID-19 pandemic changed our perception of home. This episode opens the first season of Home Sapiens. 

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Habitat CEO: Coronavirus pandemic calls for a world where we care for each other

In recent days and weeks, a wave of closures, cancellations and postponements has unfurled as the COVID-19 pandemic has emerged. Those decisions — taken individually, totaled in the aggregate — have been stunning acts of solidarity, expressions of concern and collective responsibility for the health and well-being of our communities and our neighbors.

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Sharing our expertise at the UN’s 10th World Urban Forum

With countries around the world continuing to face rapid and large-scale urbanization, Habitat for Humanity is honoured to once again share its insights with global leaders on how to ensure cities and human settlements grow in ways that are inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

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Global Education Toolkit

Our Global Education Toolkit is an online educational resource that shares knowledge and practical educational tools on housing, land rights and sustainable urban development. Find out more.

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How alternative building technologies are expanding affordable housing in Kenya

Decent housing remains out of reach for many low-income families in Kenya due to rising construction costs and limited access to affordable building materials. To help address this challenge Habitat for Humanity Kenya is championing alternative building technologies that reduce construction costs, create local economic opportunities and expand access to safe sustainable housing.

Read more

When the rain no longer brings fear: Strengthening access to water and sanitation in Makululu, Zambia

For Mary, a mother and grandmother living in Makululu, an informal settlement in Zambia, the sound of rain once brought fear. Through a community-driven Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Habitat for Humanity Zambia partnered with residents and local government to transform access to essential services. 

Read more

World Malaria Day 2026 | Rethinking homes to stop malaria

In many parts of the world, the word home evokes safety. But for millions of families living in substandard housing, home is where some of the greatest health risks begin. From respiratory diseases to heat-related illnesses and vector‑borne illnesses like malaria, unsafe housing conditions expose low‑income families to dangers that no one should have to endure.This World Malaria Day, Habitat for Humanity recognizes the life‑saving power of healthy housing, because preventing malaria requires a holistic approach, where mainstream tools like nets and medicine work hand in hand with strong walls, secure roofs, good ventilation and the dignity of a home that protects the people who live in it.

Read more