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

A woman and her son sit outside their home smiling

From Nairobi to Belém: Putting housing at the heart of climate migration and community resilience

Across Africa and the Global South, climate change is transforming the way communities move, settle, and survive. Droughts, floods, and environmental degradation are pushing families from rural areas into cities at unprecedented rates — and urban informal settlements are absorbing the shock.In November, Habitat for Humanity contributed to critical conversations shaping the future of climate migration, urban resilience, and community-driven adaptation.

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Two volunteers shaking hands on a construction site in hard hats

Everything you need to know about volunteering with Habitat for Humanity

At Habitat for Humanity, volunteering takes on many shapes. Not every volunteer may swing a hammer, but every volunteer helps move us closer to a world where everyone has a decent place to live.In just the first half of 2025, more than 3,300 people volunteered with Habitat for Humanity across Europe and the Middle East. Some helped build homes in Romania, Kenya, and Malawi. Others organized charity dinners in Poland, sorted donated goods in Irish ReStores, ran upcycling workshops in Great Britain, or supported communications and events in Jordan and Egypt. No two roles are alike. There is something for everyone who is willing to help. 

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Beneficiary speaking at the end of a Hope Build in Romania

Hands, hearts, and voices in Romania

Volunteering has a unique power to build team spirit, create shared memories, and fill people with a real sense of accomplishment. It pulls us away from screens and routines and places us into something deeply human, working side by side, learning from one another, and becoming a community.This same power has been visible across Romania over the past three years. From 2023 to 2025, Habitat for Humanity Romania organized six Hope Builds, bringing people together from Romania and beyond. These volunteer construction events unite teams, strangers, colleagues, and friends to build homes for families facing difficult socioeconomic and family situations.

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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

A collage of photos including a mother and a child, and an elderly woman and man

Tanzania Mortgage Refinance Company Limited and Habitat for Humanity launch landmark housing microfinance solution in Tanzania

December 15, 2025

Tanzania Mortgage Refinance Company (TMRC) signed a memorandum of understanding with Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) in August 2022 to engage in an effort to promote the ability of TMRC in unpacking the potential of Housing Microfinance (HMF) in Tanzania and supporting TMRC to develop and expand its commercial relationships with low-income consumers as a means of increasing their access to affordable and quality housing solutions, a first step in the organizations’ joint-effort to expand and strengthen the low-income housing finance sector in Tanzania.

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New housing research. Repurposing Empty Spaces to Address the Housing Crisis in Great Britain

December 15, 2025

Across England, Scotland, and Wales, the housing crisis continues to deepen. Record levels of homelessness, rising temporary accommodation costs, and a chronic shortage of genuinely affordable homes are placing enormous pressure on households and local authorities alike. At the same time, thousands of buildings—many of them publicly owned—sit vacant or underused, representing a missed opportunity to respond more quickly and sustainably to housing need.

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New housing research. Turning Vacant Spaces into Social Housing in Poland

December 14, 2025

Poland’s housing challenge is often framed as a problem of shortage. Yet across the country, thousands of buildings stand empty or underused—many of them publicly owned—while access to affordable housing remains out of reach for low-income households and vulnerable groups. This contradiction lies at the center of a new research (August 2025) study exploring how non-residential vacancies could become part of the solution.

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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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A woman and her son sit outside their home smiling

From Nairobi to Belém: Putting housing at the heart of climate migration and community resilience

Across Africa and the Global South, climate change is transforming the way communities move, settle, and survive. Droughts, floods, and environmental degradation are pushing families from rural areas into cities at unprecedented rates — and urban informal settlements are absorbing the shock.In November, Habitat for Humanity contributed to critical conversations shaping the future of climate migration, urban resilience, and community-driven adaptation.

Read more
Two volunteers shaking hands on a construction site in hard hats

Everything you need to know about volunteering with Habitat for Humanity

At Habitat for Humanity, volunteering takes on many shapes. Not every volunteer may swing a hammer, but every volunteer helps move us closer to a world where everyone has a decent place to live.In just the first half of 2025, more than 3,300 people volunteered with Habitat for Humanity across Europe and the Middle East. Some helped build homes in Romania, Kenya, and Malawi. Others organized charity dinners in Poland, sorted donated goods in Irish ReStores, ran upcycling workshops in Great Britain, or supported communications and events in Jordan and Egypt. No two roles are alike. There is something for everyone who is willing to help. 

Read more
Beneficiary speaking at the end of a Hope Build in Romania

Hands, hearts, and voices in Romania

Volunteering has a unique power to build team spirit, create shared memories, and fill people with a real sense of accomplishment. It pulls us away from screens and routines and places us into something deeply human, working side by side, learning from one another, and becoming a community.This same power has been visible across Romania over the past three years. From 2023 to 2025, Habitat for Humanity Romania organized six Hope Builds, bringing people together from Romania and beyond. These volunteer construction events unite teams, strangers, colleagues, and friends to build homes for families facing difficult socioeconomic and family situations.

Read more