Poland

Kraków

Working in partnership with the Habitat for Humanity NGO

Habitat for Humanity - Poland

In 2016, Habitat for Humanity Poland’s objective was to improve living conditions for a multigenerational family living in highly precarious circumstances in the south of Poland (near Kraków). This family in financial precariousness and owner of a house was unable to finalize the renovation and thus couldn’t live in their own house. For several years, the family tried to finish the house while living in very bad conditions in an old shack, right next to the house to be renovated. With Habitat for Humanity Poland, the family has been supported financially in the renovation of the house.

 

Let’s go back to the different stages of this beautiful story…

Living conditions far from what we understand as decent housing">

Living conditions far from what we understand as decent housing

An unhealthy home

When the family and Habitat for Humanity were connected, the family lived in extremely difficult living conditions: no heating, no bathroom, no plumbing system and no running water. Family members had to use a well to draw water, for cooking and washing…

A RENOVATED FAMILY HOME

The dream of this Polish family to finally live in their own home has now become a reality. Several months of work were necessary to make the house safe and habitable: insulation, installation of electricity, painting... Habitat for Humanity, Somfy Poland and the Somfy Foundation were in charge of financing this renovation.

The construction process has been managed in a professional and cost-effective way. While complicated works were assigned to experienced construction workers, simple tasks were given to volunteers.

Habitat for Humanity Poland has organized three week-long volunteering events supported by over 100 people from 25 countries. The largest event took place at the end of July when over 70 World Youth Day volunteers became involved in the finishing works.

One of them was Marcelo from Paraguay, who felt happy to contribute to this project: “It is a good experience to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and help a family. I participated in a very important moment for a family. Now they have a new house. A new house is a new life. A house is a place where you can live with a family. If we don’t have a house, we can’t live a life in a good way. Everyone needs a house for happiness.”

 

 

   

 

    • World Youth Day

      Volunteers with the family and handmade paintings they received from the family

    • Marcelo

      Volunteer from Paraguay

A DECENT HOUSING FOR A POLISH FAMILY

The family lives in Grajów, a small town near Kraków. The head of the family is Ms Józefa, an elderly and ailing widow whose husband died in 2014.

The family is very grateful for the help they received, especially from Somfy Poland and Somfy Foundation. Ms Józefa lived in the shack together with her son, one of her two daughters and her granddaughter.

The family participated in the works on the new house and contributed to the cost of its construction according to the best of their ability. However, they were not able to finance the entire project themselves due to lack of creditworthiness.

When Ms Józefa was asked what she is happiest about with regard to her new home, she said: “I am happy about everything because the building is nice and pretty. But what makes me the happiest is running water because I am too weak to keep bringing water from the well.”

Ms Józefa’s daughter, Ms Monika, noted that the support which the family received, gave them a new hope and was especially uplifting for Ms Józefa: “I can see that Mum is cheerful and lively now. When Dad died, she fell into pieces so I am happy that she feels joy again.”

    • Ms Józefa

      living in Grajów, a small town near Kraków

    • MS MONIKA

      Ms Józefa’s daughter

A pretty STORY for a polish family

Now the family of Mrs. Józefa lives in a safe and comfortable house, totally renovated, after several months of work: a modern kitchen has been installed. With running water, they no longer need to draw water from the well or to fuel a wood-burning oven (now there is an electric stove). The owners can now live decently and perennially in their accommodation. The son of Mrs. Józefa (Jerzy) and her granddaughter (Andżelika) are very happy with these new living conditions. "It's a totally different quality of life, and we have a warm home and a wonderful bathroom!" We often think last summer when we were helped by the volunteers. people". The whole family, including Mrs. Józefa finds that life is much more comfortable now.

A project that seems to have made a real difference in improving the daily life of the family!

Commitment

SOMFY POLAND

“With A House in A Home is Poland we can contribute to better living together, through social diversity. We will participate in reducing extreme poverty and facilitating access to decent housing. With our action we will enable one family to live with better sanitary conditions which are the basis of health. Project is Habitat’s reconstruction located in Poland to help a women-headed family."

Radoslaw Borkowski, Managing Director of Somfy Poland

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY POLAND

“Habitat of Humanity Poland aims to fight housing poverty and prevent homelessness. We have decided to help the family of Ms Józefa because the conditions in which they currently live are very far from what we understand as decent housing. We are glad that their new house is almost finished and that they will be able to move there in a matter of weeks. The project is about to come to a successful completion thanks to the fact that we have received generous support from multiple partners, including Somfy Poland and Somfy Foundation.”

Adam Krol, Developement Manager of Habitat for Humanity Poland

 

    • Radoslaw Borkowski

      Managing Director of Somfy Poland

    • Adam Król

      Development Manager of Habitat for Humanity Poland