STOCKHOLM, 24 March 2026 – Through new funding from the Swedish government’s 2026 aid budget to several UN agencies, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), more shelters from Better Shelter can be set up in Gaza. The support will help provide people with a safe place to live and help communities gradually start functioning again.
With the additional funding from Sweden, UNDP will be able to install more transitional shelters from Better Shelter as part of their neighbourhood approach. The units are linked with access to water, solid waste management services, and other essential services so communities can function again. The aim is not only to provide transitional shelter, but to support the gradual shift from emergency conditions toward recovery, and give people a safe place to rest, recover in privacy until adequate, permanent housing is restored.
“The needs in Gaza are enormous, and hundreds of thousands of people need safe places to live, sleep, and recover. We welcome the increased funding from Sweden and stand ready to continue supporting efforts in Gaza that are already making a real difference for many people.”
Johan Karlsson, Managing Director, Better Shelter.
Work in Gaza is already underway
With previous funding from Germany through KfW Development Bank, South Korea, and Sweden, Better Shelter homes have already been delivered to Gaza. UNDP began setting them up in January, and families have already started moving in. Some of the shelters are also being used as clinics.
Major needs
Hundreds of thousands of homes in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, and large parts of the population have been forced to leave their homes. Many people are in urgent need of somewhere to live until permanent buildings can be rebuilt.
A temporary home until return is possible
These shelters can be assembled in a few hours and give people a safe and private place to call home, even if only temporarily, with walls, a roof, and a door that can be locked. In Gaza, Better Shelter has provided assembly training and technical support to help ensure that the homes are set up safely and used correctly.
About Better Shelter
Better Shelter is a Swedish non-profit foundation that develops temporary shelter for people who have lost their homes in conflicts and disasters around the world. Better Shelter has delivered close to 100,000 homes to more than 90 countries, in partnership with organisations including UNHCR, UNDP, the Red Cross, and the IKEA Foundation.
