Build back better: Meet the volunteers transforming communities across Portugal

SCENES shines a spotlight on youth around the world who are breaking down barriers and creating change. The character-driven short films will inspire and amaze, as these young change-makers tell their remarkable stories.

Driven by compassion and solidarity, a remarkable movement quietly makes a difference across Portugal's scenic landscapes. 'Just a Change' is a non-profit organisation of dedicated volunteer builders transforming people's lives in rundown homes, one repair at a time.

These modern-day heroes are on a mission that goes beyond construction. They are architects of change, determined to rebuild lives and restore dignity. From bustling city streets to peaceful rural corners, their efforts resonate, echoing the struggles of families trapped in housing deprivation.

A group of university friends would regularly busk in downtown Lisbon. They became friendly with local homeless people along the way and would buy them food with their earnings. After several weeks, rather than providing temporary relief, they wanted to do more. Their initial efforts of sharing meals with people without homes evolved into a deep commitment.

Guilherme Fogaça is Head of Operations at 'Just a Change', and he explained to SCENES, "They decided to take a step back to think about this problem, and they came to the conclusion of addressing house poverty."

In 2015, Guilherme joined 'Just a Change' as a volunteer. "There are way more organisations feeding the poor, and they are doing it better than us because they have years of experience. The first houses that we made, we jokingly said, 'They're probably worse than before because we had no experience,'" he jokes. "We started gaining more experience, recruiting more volunteers, and securing