Madrid program houses women rebuilding lives after homelessness
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In Madrid, Spain, the city council runs a program offering housing, psychological support, and training to women facing homelessness.
The program, called ‘No second night,’ began in 2020 and currently provides 53 beds. Women enter the program after experiencing eviction, gender-based violence, or lacking support networks, and social workers create individual plans to help them regain independence. Erika, a 42-year-old participant, found stability after losing her home and is now rebranding a creative stationery business she had put on hold.
Sheima, 29, arrived in Madrid from another country with no family or friends and is learning Spanish while seeking work in tourism, utilizing her existing language skills. Program coordinators emphasize the importance of creating a home-like environment where women can rebuild their lives and reintegrate into the community. In the first half of 2024, the program assisted 75 women, helping 16 of them achieve independent living.
Many participants are young women, immigrants, or survivors of violence, around 60 percent have experienced male violence, and others have faced sexual assault. City social services continue to follow up with women after they leave the program to provide ongoing support.
