Spain

Madrid

In partnership with the Lazare association

In 2006, 3 young professionals had a simple idea: to help people living in the streets by offering them a place to live. The idea is a real success. A few years later, Lazare non-profit organization is created to develop and animate these shared apartments in France and abroad.

In each apartment, people who were homeless and young volunteers are living together. On a day-to-day basis, there is a real struggle against exclusion, because if homeless people need a roof, they also need human relations. Homeless people often live in ghettos, ranging from one social structure to another, meeting only social workers or people experiencing the same difficulties as themselves. The length of stay in a Lazare apartment is one year, renewable according to the needs of each person.

In Madrid, women and men, young active and deprived persons, as well as a volunteer family will be housed in 4 apartments. The family will ensure the proper functioning of the place and coordinate with all the roommates. Every week, there will be a dinner where everyone can meet. This moment of collective life is very important for Lazare: preparation of the meal, sharing good times, defusing tensions...

How it works

Lazare works like a family...

Lazare works like a family: shared dinners, shared bathrooms, sharing daily tasks: cooking, cleaning ... To be welcomed in Lazare is a real relief, a possibility to rebound for people who were on the streets, this allows them to take the first step to find a job, understand administrative procedures... But they are above all hosted in a peaceful place where there is happiness, joy every day but also sometimes difficult moments.

The roommates support each other and become friends. The objective is to establish faithful and disinterested relations to create real factors of integration.

"I wanted to join Lazare because it is a win-win commitment: for homeless people because they find a home and a family, which helps them in their reintegration. And for the volunteers, because it teaches us to detach ourselves from ourselves and give ourselves to others. I want to be part of a project that helps improve people and the world around me. Since I was little I want to live this form of community. "

Rebecca, volunteer for Lazare

Currently, volunteers are mobilizing to strengthen the network of friends and logistical support (fundraising, social and medical support, etc.) around the Lazare association in Spain. A team is in charge of advancing in the construction and organization of Lazare Spain. Every other Thursday, they meet to work on setting up the association in Spain, on the communication strategy in Spain, setting up financial monitoring and looking for new places. In order to open the first apartment, Lazare is currently waiting for an administrative authorization from the Region of Madrid.

"I love Lazare, and I really enjoyed seeing how everything is so well articulated and set in. The diversity of the group (at the meeting) fascinated me."

Hélèna, Member of the development team of Lazare in Spain

A shared apartment for 6 women

  • Living room

  • Kitchen

  • A bedroom

  • Another bedroom

Commitment

LAZARE SPAIN

Sibylle de Malet, who spent several years living in Spain, is now doing an internship at Lazare as part of her Master's degree in project management (Social & Solidarity Economy). She lived in the shared apartments and opened the Lazare house in Lille.
Her knowledge of Spanish culture and her experience of working in the association are major assets for the ongoing development of the association in Madrid. 

"Working on Lazare’s project and allowing homeless people to find a roof, but above all to have new friends, people they can count on, brings me deep joy. The social mix and the fraternity that settles in Lazare is, I think, one of the solutions to the problem of precariousness. "

Sibylle de Malet, Project development coordinator for Lazare

SOMFY SPAIN

"I only have one word to define Somfy Foundation... BELIEVE !!! Believe in people, thinking with the heart and not with the head."

Mª José Centellas, Managing Director Somfy Spain

    • Sibylle de Malet

      Project development coordinator for Lazare

    • Mª José Centellas

      Managing Director Somfy Spain