Social Renovation Camp: volunteers and local people work together and make decisions together
In April 2010 the College for Advanced Studies in Social Theory (TEK) of the Corvinus University of Economics[1] together with Habitat for Humanity Hungary[2] organised social renovation camps in Nagykanizsa[3], a medium-sized town (population: approx 50,000) in South-West Hungary. The programme targeted families (mostly Roma) which were behind with paying the rent of social housing, and were living in deep poverty in slum areas with obsolete and inadequate energy supply systems. During the project, the flats were renovated together by the residents and volunteers (Corvinus University students, foreign volunteers of Habitat). The project was organised by TEK and Habitat, and was led by professional construction managers from Habitat. Following the Nagykanizsa experience, in summer 2011 the College for Advanced Studies in Social Theory (Társadalomelméleti Kollégium, TEK) and Autonómia Foundation (Autonómia Alapítvány) with the contribution of Habitat for Humanity Hungary (Habitat for Humanity Magyarország) organised summer camps[4] for volunteers in deprived villages in South-Western Hungary, aimed at helping families living in deep poverty (predominantly of Roma origin) to renovate their homes.
[1] Társadalomelméleti Kollegium [College for Advanced Studies in Social Theory], http://tek.bke.hu (Date of access: 20. 02. 2012.)
[2] Habiat for Humanity Hungary, www.habitat.hu (Date of access: 20. 02. 2012)
[3] 'Házfelújítás adósságtörlesztéssel' ['House renovation and dept payments'], Népszabadság, 22. 04. 2010., http://nol.hu/lap/mo/20100422-hazfelujitas_adossagtorlesztessel (Date of access: 20. 02. 2012)
[4] 'Indulnak a bonyhádi, teveli, kisvejkei felújítások' ['House renovations in Bonyhád, Tevel and Kisvejk start'], Autonómia Foundation, 17. 08. 2011., http://autonomia.hu/hu/rolunk/hirek/indulnak-a-bonyhadi-teveli-kisvejkei-felujitasok (Date of access: 20. 02. 2012)
