She also saved her grandchildren from entering state care – Irénke’s story

When people think about homelessness, many still picture middle-aged, bearded men. What is far less visible is how many women and children have no place to live. In public spaces, men—often those in visibly poor mental condition—are more noticeable, and the homeless care system has largely been designed around their needs. At the same time, there are many places within social care systems that accommodate people without homes—even beyond traditional homelessness services—and institutions that house children without stable housing. In this edition of the Utcáról Lakásba! Association’s Role Model campaign, we present the story of Feka Irénke, who, after overcoming homelessness herself, also saved her grandchildren from being placed into state care. The beautiful portraits in this series were taken by Lili Chripkó. Role Model kampányában ezúttal Feka Irénke történetét mutatjuk be, aki, miután saját maga kitört a hajléktalanságtól, megmentette unokáit is attól, hogy állami gondozásba kerüljenek. Sorozatunk gyönyörű portréit Chripkó Lili készítette.

According to data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), more than 160,000 people still live in institutional households today, many not because they require care but due to housing reasons. Among them are numerous children and families.In temporary family homes, 7,005 children live with at least one adult family member, while 724 children are in temporary child care institutions.In addition, despite ongoing deinstitutionalisation efforts, around 7,000 children still live in children’s homes instead of foster care, including many under the age of 12—even though the deadline for addressing this issue passed nine years ago. helyzet rendezésére kitűzött határidő 9 éve múlt el. 

According to data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), 10,947 people lived in temporary accommodation institutions in 2024, of whom 8,802 were in homeless shelters. While children cannot live in these institutions, beyond the social care system, 11,636 people were living in workers’ hostels at the time of the census, including 530 minors. A further 2,376 people lived in service housing, including 94 minors. 

These figures show that even child homelessness remains unresolved, and the social care system is structured primarily to serve people without homes, often lacking alternative solutions.

Irén spent nearly two decades without stable housing. She does not describe herself as “homeless” from that period, but rather as “without a home.” For the longest time, she lived in an unused basement in an agricultural area on the outskirts of the city—and even that situation felt like progress at the time. After her divorce, she ended up on the streets with her young son, Ricsi. In this impossible situation, she had no one to rely on, and her greatest fear was that her son would be taken into care. At one point, however, she found hope. She experienced a turning point in her life, discovering inner strength and perseverance. She met Sándor, who lived in a small wooden house. The landowner allowed him to stay there in exchange for minor work and guarding the property. Irén moved in with him together with her child, and they raised Ricsi together. After many hardships, they were finally able to live in relatively peaceful conditions. 

During this time, Irén washed clothes by hand and carried water from public fountains to their home. It was at these fountains that she met outreach social workers, with whom she developed a good relationship. Despite their efforts, they could not find a way out of her situation. Even though Irén worked hard to improve her life, handled her affairs, and remained proactive, the lack of a registered address and their unstable situation meant she could only take occasional jobs. Although she sometimes had formal employment, the wages were too low to even consider renting a flat. Sándor’s heart condition further limited their income. 

In 2017, Irén and Sándor applied to the Kunyhóból Lakásba (“From Hut to Home”) programme,based on the Housing First approach, after hearing about it from social workers of the Red Cross in District 10. They were awarded the opportunity to rent a flat that needed renovation, and Sándor actively participated in the refurbishment work. 

Sadly, the couple could not enjoy their first real home for long. Sándor passed away a few years after moving in, shortly after retiring. Despite this immense loss, Irén did not give up. She found the strength to support her son and welcomed her daughter-in-law and unborn grandchild into her home. They later moved to a larger flat to accommodate the growing family. 

Irén’s daughter-in-law had grown up in state care and became pregnant at a young age. She did not feel prepared for motherhood, and the young couple had no stable housing. Irén became the legal guardian of her grandchild and took in the young couple as well. Both of them found work, and although Irén remains the driving force of the three-generation household, the family has now created a safe environment for raising their child.

The housing crisis does have solutions. Just as Irén’s grandchildren were able to grow up within their family instead of in institutional care, the situation of many children placed in care due to financial hardship could also be resolved. 
Beyond her own family, Irén feels responsible for the community of the Utcáról Lakásba! Association. She is proud to show through her story that even after many years without stable housing, she has been able to maintain and care for her home. In addition to her family, she is an active and respected member of two communities: the Association and her church.

Irén’s story clearly demonstrates that even those with extraordinary strength and perseverance may need support in a housing crisis. With access to decent housing and professional social work, real change is possible—our clients and their families can build new lives. To help more people like Irén, we need your support. Thank you if you choose to donate 1% of your income tax to us and share our work with others.