Over the past four years, UNHCR has collaborated with Arada to fundraise for the refugee cause, engaging their corporate operations and recently founded foundation.

The Holy month of Ramadan in 2022 marked the beginning of the partnership through which the Home for a Home initiative was launched. The flagship campaign brought together UNHCR, Arada, and The Big Heart Foundation under a shared commitment; for every home sold by Arada during Ramadan across its Sharjah communities, a vulnerable refugee family would receive a durable home. The initiative reflects Arada’s vision of creating spaces that foster healthier, happier, and more meaningful lives as a property developer based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, with a global reach.

Building on its success, Home for a Home was relaunched with UNHCR during Ramadan in 2023 and again this last year in 2025. To date, the initiative has supported the provision of durable housing for more than 3,300 refugees, alongside the establishment of water infrastructure benefiting over 43,000 people in northern Kenya. In Chad, shelter support reached over 14,000 Sudanese refugees, while approximately 30,000 individuals gained access to clean water.

For families like Jenthy Simon and her two children, who fled violence in South Sudan and arrived in Kenya’s Kalobeyei settlement in 2017, displacement has meant years of living with uncertainty and fear. Their temporary shelter, made of plastic tarpaulin, offered little protection from harsh weather or theft, leaving the family constantly exposed and vulnerable. Jenthy recalls with a sad smile, “One day, the wind was so strong, our roof flew off our temporary shelter. We had to stay with our neighbours until we repaired it.” Through Home for a Home, the family was able to build a durable house and latrine, enabling them to live with greater stability and safety, and maintain a dignified life despite the challenges of displacement.

Arada has been committed to broadening the scale, sustainability, and global reach of Home for a Home. The initiative has been instrumental in addressing the immediate and longer-term needs of forcibly displaced populations by enabling access to safe and durable shelter solutions. Durable shelters are critical in reducing protection and gender-based violence risks, limiting exposure to harsh weather conditions and communicable diseases, and providing a secure living environment that upholds privacy and dignity. Beyond physical protection, safe housing plays a vital role in restoring a sense of normalcy, stability, and well-being for families affected by displacement.

Additionally, emergency water systems supported through the initiative have also been vital in closing gaps in access to safe and clean water. The installation of new infrastructure has eased pressure on overstretched water sources shared by refugees and host communities, particularly in areas where surrounding villages lack reliable water services. Improved water access has helped refugees mitigate health risks associated with contaminated water and waterborne diseases, and reducing protection concerns for women and children who would otherwise travel long distances to collect water.

Beyond Home for a Home, Arada has continued to demonstrate its commitment to humanitarian action by supporting UNHCR’s emergency response efforts in Türkiye, Syria, Lebanon, and Sudan in 2023 and 2024, contributing to life-saving assistance for thousands of vulnerable families affected by conflict and natural disasters.