Housing poverty affects more than 625,000 people in Portugal, leaving families in unsafe, unhealthy, and undignified living conditions.¹ Over 44,000 people lack access to piped water, more than 50,000 have no sanitation, and winter mortality rates are around 25% higher than in other EU countries, with more than 165,000 people unable to afford to keep their homes adequately warm.²,³ This project directly addresses these urgent needs by helping families move from cold, damp, and unsafe houses into safer, warmer, and healthier homes.⁴,⁵
Just a Change is a well-established Portuguese nonprofit, active since 2009, that renovates homes for people living in housing poverty across Portugal.¹ The organization focuses on families who lack piped water, sanitation, safe structures, and adequate heating, working in partnership with local authorities and community organizations to identify the most vulnerable households.² Through volunteer-powered renovations, they transform deteriorating dwellings into secure and dignified homes, helping break cycles of poverty linked to poor housing.³
HXP volunteers will participate directly in hands-on house repairs and renovations, working under the guidance of Just a Change staff and skilled local builders.¹ Typical tasks may include repairing roofs, improving insulation, installing or upgrading basic plumbing, painting, and making homes safer and warmer for the families who live there.² By the end of the project, volunteers will not only have contributed to concrete improvements in living conditions, but will also have built relationships with local residents and seen firsthand how better housing supports health, education, and dignity.
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