Jabal Al Taj is an under-resourced community in Amman, the capital city of Jordan where I live. There is a huge juxtaposition — five minutes away from five-star hotels and luxurious malls are families living in cramped, rundown homes without access to basic amenities.

My friends and I decided to address the prevalent and visible issue of housing insecurity by renovating a home in Jabal Al Taj for a family of eight. Working with a representative from an organization that addresses this challenge, we identified a family in need, and visited their home with engineers and contractors to assess the work required and estimate the cost of the renovation. We then met with a local bank to present our project and secured a donation. We went back to the engineers to select our materials and furniture and assisted the builders in the renovation process and helped furnish the house.