Eline Rosa, a sales promoter residing in a suburb of Campinas for a decade, faced the challenge of acquiring land and gradually constructing a home for herself and her two teenage children, Mateus and Melissa.
Operating on a tight budget as the sole breadwinner, Eline prioritized essentials like food, perpetually deferring the completion of her house. Over time, the need for maintenance became glaringly evident.
"Our biggest issues were the roof and electricity. The aged wiring posed safety hazards, damaging all our appliances. Rainy days left us with almost nowhere to stay because everything got wet," recounts Eline.
In 2021, Eline was chosen by her employer to have a room in her house renovated as part of an internal project involving several employees. The company collaborated with the NGO Projeto Doce Lar, based in Campinas, to facilitate the renovation for Eline.
"The initial visit unveiled frightful conditions. A mattress with a blanket in a corner of the room, close to a wall marred by infiltrations and stains, revealed that Eline's children were sleeping under dire circumstances. The volunteers at Doce Lar realized that renovating only one room wouldn't suffice to address the broader issues of water infiltration and the risks posed by ancient and fragile electrical wiring."
The volunteers at Projeto Doce Lar realized that renovating only one room wouldn't suffice to address the broader issues of water infiltration and the risks posed by ancient and fragile electrical wiring.
The combined efforts of Projeto Doce Lar volunteers, Eline's employer, and other volunteers culminated in a weekend renovation project that transformed the entire house.
Eline's children received a room with leak-free walls, warmth during winter, and a conducive environment for study. The joy and relief were palpable when the house was handed over; Mateus and Melissa now had a vastly improved living situation.
Eline, as their mother, felt secure and at peace, realizing her dream of providing her children with a better home.
However, the transformation didn't end there. Sitting in her renovated bedroom, Eline, moved to tears, experienced a cathartic release. In that moment, an old dream resurfaced: to attend university.
Freed from the financial burden of constant home repairs, Eline is now turning that dream into reality. Despite conflicting schedules, she persisted and, after passing the entrance exam for a public university, and with assistance from the government's Student Financing Fund (FIES), is now in her third semester studying Architecture and Urbanism at a private university in Campinas.
Once uncertain of her ability to help others, Eline is now a regular Projeto Doce Lar volunteer.
“Projeto Doce Lar birthed a volunteer capable of doing anything! To renovate homes for others is to unlock an inner strength, peace, and self-confidence that only the dignity of having a good home can bring."
Eline Rosa
About Projeto Doce Lar
Founded in 2018 by engineer Fernando Ferreira, Projeto Doce Lar upholds the right to adequate housing for all Brazilians. Despite a slowdown during the Covid-19 pandemic, the NGO has renovated six houses in Campinas. From 2021 onwards, the project aims to increase annual renovations, making a positive, broad, and long-term impact on families in need.
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