In 2024 the Barzilai Foundation launched a program with our partner Just-A-Change to tackle housing poverty. A household’s inability to make ends meet financially can quickly jeopardise the family’s home and threaten to separate them. In Portugal, over 6250,000 people are affected by housing poverty which means living in houses with structural problems, health, or comfort issues, which imperil the livelihood and futures of countless families and therefore children.

Just A Change is a national charity in Portugal that partners with local municipalities to do renovation of homes that have sub-standard conditions. Frequent areas needing remediation include electricity, piped water replacing of doors andwindows, repairing of roofs , either due to disrepair or natural disaster.

Through our partnership with Just A Change, the Barzilai Foundation renovated and renovated five homes in Portugal where families with children were at risk. Different situations affect children differently. In some cases, the children abandon school and their future to earn money for the household now. In other cases, the children are removed from the home and placed in government care.

In our five homes, the homes are now free from danger and children can focus without obstruction on their futures:

• Aline is a single mother with two children, and her salary doesn’t make ends meet. We provided demolition, deep cleaning, restructuring, moisture remediation, and insulation throughout her house.
• Maria is also a single mother with two children, living in an unfinished house. She relies on friends and local organizations for essential support. We completed the build-out of her home, including interior walls, bathroom fixtures, and a staircase, and plan to perform an electrical overhaul as well.
• Eduardo cares for three children by himself, in the wake of his wife abandoning them, while also managing effects of his own developmental delay and his youngest daughter’s special needs. We completed the electrical installation and roof insulation of his home, replaced all doors and windows, and re-rendered and painted its main façade.
• Elisa relies on government support to help provide for her two children. We rehauled her home’s flooring, ceiling, and walls and provided a new suite of appliances after conducting disinfestation and a deep cleaning.
• Francisco and his wife have an infant and raise her while also handling his wife’s oncological challenges. We replaced the floors and rehabilitated the walls and roof of his house and installed kitchen and bathroom appliances. In addition, Miguel is now empowered to continue some renovation projects and complete the house in the future.

“Our partnership with Just-A-Change is completely changing these families’ living situations,” said Brandon Sosa, CEO of the Barzilai Foundation. “They were stuck in destitute conditions that were bound to disrupt their family life, potentially permanently. With Just A Change, we didn’t just remove the worry and risk; these families also received motivation to thrive and achieve great things.”