Barka, founded in 1990, supports homeless and marginalized individuals in Poland through housing, training, and employment. It currently provides accommodation for 750 people and has helped over 50,000 rebuild their lives. The organization promotes self-help and community living, offering vocational training, social enterprise opportunities, and rehabilitation support, particularly for those facing addiction or long-term unemployment. Barka has restored abandoned farms, pioneered organic agriculture, and established 25 social enterprises, creating sustainable work and housing.
It works closely with municipalities, businesses, and NGOs to promote social reintegration and has influenced national policy on civil society and social enterprise. Barka’s environmentally sustainable projects include renovating derelict buildings using local resources and biomass heating systems. Financially, its communities are largely self-sufficient through residents’ labor and enterprise income.
Barka’s model has expanded across Poland and internationally, including in the UK and Ireland, to assist vulnerable Eastern European migrants in reintegrating or returning home.
