A group of 27 young volunteers from the Just a Change Association got down to work and is rehabilitating three homes for disadvantaged people, during this first half of August, in the municipality of Portimão.
With an average age of around 23, the young volunteers who participate in Camp In Portimão have given up their holidays and are rehabilitating two houses located in the parish of Mexilhoeira Grande and another in the parish of Alvor.
Young people of various nationalities participated in this project under the collaboration protocol signed between the municipality of Portimão and Just a Change, whose mission “is carried out throughout the country under the motto “We rehabilitate houses, we rebuild lives”, and which counts on the partnership of IKEA Portugal for the Algarve area», says the Portimão Chamber, in a note sent to the newsrooms.
In the three interventions, which are taking place in Portimão until 15th August, the objective is to «provide better housing conditions for elderly people who live in precarious conditions and suffer from proven economic needs, some with dependent children, with volunteers ensuring all the work. necessary, namely in walls and roofs and in terms of basic sanitation infrastructure and the electricity network».
It is up to the municipality of Portimo to "guarantee some financial support and logistical issues" such as the accommodation and food expenses of the 27 young people participating in this mission, the group being made up of 15 boys and 12 girls.
The work taking place in a house located in the rural area of Arão, in the parish of Mexilhoeira Grande, built about 120 years ago and where a bedridden elderly woman and her son lives, meanwhile staying with relatives until the work is completed, are be closely monitored by the councilor of the Portimão Council with the responsibility for Social Action and Health, Teresa Mendes.
The director of Camp In de Portimão, João Tavares, explains that the house “was in very poor condition, with the Just a Change team reinforcing the walls and replacing the roof, in addition to creating a house-de- bathroom, the installation of a kitchen countertop and the installation of the electrical system and the sewerage system, among other interventions, such as the creation of windows and the final painting of the property. We have eight volunteers here, who respect a work plan and a report previously drawn up on safety issues, so that everything runs smoothly».
Regarding the scope of this voluntary service, councilor Teresa Mendes explains that the municipality "has a great difficulty in helping people with their own housing, particularly in isolated areas, because the legislation does not allow us to intervene, since these are private homes." .
"Therefore, this partnership represents a great opportunity, first because we ended up helping people in need and who are in great need of living conditions, which do not exist at all, and then because this project involves young people and promotes active citizenship and solidarity, which are so important. for those who receive help, or for those who provide the same help».
"This is a fantastic partnership, because the municipal investment is small, taking into account the ongoing works and, otherwise, it would be almost impossible to create this quality of life for the elderly covered", considers the mayor, for whom " this magnificent experience is a winning bet, to be repeated next year if there is an opportunity», explains the councilor.
By agreeing with the councilor's prediction, João Tavares reinforces: «We are not a construction company, this activity is basically reduced to the human component, as we not only rehabilitate houses, but also try to change people's lives for the better».
“At issue is their reintegration into society, because many of them have felt estranged for a long time. Our involvement, which provides priceless human learning, manages to change this type of introspective behavior and we even create synergies with the neighborhood, always ready to help».
From his point of view, «the balance of this experience in Portimão is very positive, as the beneficiaries all lived in terrible conditions – we feel that our presence made a huge difference to them. The municipality contributed a lot to this, which is helping its residents, being deserving of recognition for the excellent way it has treated us in these two weeks».
For Ana Barbosa, responsible for the sustainability area at IKEA Portugal, "actions of this kind make perfect sense, because we believe that the home is the most important place in the world and that everyone should have a safe and comfortable home".
“Unfortunately, that is not the reality, but we – in this way – can reach families in need and provide them with a decent home. Therefore, nothing could make more sense to our company than contributing to a mission that strives for that purpose. Thus, during this summer, we are going to be able to support, through Just a Change in municipalities such as Portimão, a total of 15 families in the Algarve, which is very impactful», stresses Ana Barbosa.
The association “Just a Change” was founded in 2010, having so far rehabilitated more than 220 houses and 60 social institutions, improving the living conditions of around 4.700 beneficiaries in 18 municipalities across the country, with the altruistic collaboration of XNUMX volunteers .
«Anyone can enroll in “Just a Change” and the majority of volunteers are university students, especially in the areas of Medicine, Engineering, Law and Languages, who take advantage of the summer vacation period to give a helping hand to those who need it most» , explains João Tavares.
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