Devi, a resident of Tamil Nadu, who now has a cool roof stands in front of a door and white wall wearing a blue sari, smiling.

What’s possible with an open door

Real stories of homes and lives transformed

Behind every open door is a story. As we build on fifty years of making home possible, we’re highlighting some of the people and innovations at the heart of our mission. These are the voices driving the movement forward, opening the door to home.

A volunteer stands in a white hard hat, mask, and gloves on a job site with a brick wall behind him.

Europe

From abandoned buildings to affordable homes

In Poland, 1.8 million properties sit empty while hundreds of thousands of people struggle to find a decent, affordable shelter. We turn these abandoned buildings into safe, energy-efficient homes in partnership with those who need them most.

“I’m proud that a place once empty will be filled with laughter and joy again.”

A woman stands with her two kids in front of her house, which is painted peach and blue. There is a concrete porch at their feet.

Latin America

Creating safer, healthier homes from the floor up

More than 50 million people in Latin America live on dirt floors, which can be breeding grounds for bacteria. That’s why we’re partnering with families in Latin America to install a cost-effective upgrade that protects their health: concrete floors. 

“Now my kids look happier. You can see the joy in them.”

A woman, Yiftu, stands in the doorway of her home, holding a child and smiling. They are surrounded by planters.

Africa

From rain to a reliable home in Ethiopia

Yiftu dreaded the rainy season. Moisture and flooding meant her home was not a haven — it was a health risk. 

Determined to give her children a safe home, she partnered with Habitat.

An engineer holds up an orange tool to check the temperature of a roof that is painted white.

Asia Pacific

Scaling passive cooling solutions

Millions across India face unrelenting heat during the scorching summer months. Since air conditioning costs are unaffordable for most households, we’ve turned to a proven method to solve this problem: heat-reflective roof paint.

A woman stands between her two children in front of her yellow home that has solar panels on the roof.

North America

Energy-efficient homes in Rhode Island

Becoming a Habitat homeowner with an affordable mortgage was already life-changing for Aliyya and her family. 

Becoming the owner of an energy-efficient house with solar panels brought another layer of savings and empowerment. 

Blue image with rows of blue doors superimposed on it.

Did you know?

What started as a single ReStore in Winnipeg, Canada, back in 1991 has exploded into a global network. Every sale at our locally operated stores helps us partner with even more families in communities across the world.

Volunteer spotlight

“We can collaborate together, sharing ideas across countries and borders.”

Leveraging tech

Winners of the Habitat Asia-Pacific Youth Housing Solutions micro-grants demonstrate how creativity, technology and volunteerism come together to tackle one of our greatest global challenges: access to safe, affordable housing. 

“We must be courageous and systematic in building partnerships.”

Leading with vision

Volunteers like Habitat Zambia Board Chair Mulenga Muleba are key to what we do. When people step forward to give their time, leadership and energy, more families can build safer, stronger futures. 

“Giving time so that others can improve their quality of life is never a waste.”

Life after loss

Thirteen years ago, Violeta was living in deep grief after the loss of her son. Life felt heavy. Then, she received an invitation from Habitat staff to attend a community meeting.

You can help open the door to opportunity

We know a better future starts with home. See how you can volunteer your time to help a family build a place to call their own.

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Three rows of cartoon doors in varying colors.

Design your own door

Browse our digital door gallery to see what a safe, affordable house means to people like you. Add to the impact by donating and creating your own personalized door.  

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