What we do: Housing

The share of tenants in the housing market is constantly growing, and in large cities in the Czech Republic they currently account for up to a third of the population. Their protection, however, is minimal. Rental prices are rising much faster than salaries and lease contracts are usually concluded for only one year, sometimes even less. People in rented accommodation are therefore living in constant insecurity and their housing costs are increasing.

The share of tenants in the housing market is constantly growing, currently accounting for one third of the population in the Czech Republic. Their protection is however minimal. Rental prices are rising much faster than salaries and lease contracts are usually concluded for only one year, sometimes even less. People in rented accommodation are therefore living in constant insecurity while their housing costs are increasing. For example, Prague regularly comes out as one of the most expensive places to live in the EU when comparing average salaries and rents.

That's why we set up the Tenants' Initiative in September 2022. Its aim is to build a mass organisation that works on the principles of tenants' unions, strengthens the rights of tenants and creates a solidarity network between people living in rents. More information, including how to get involved, can be found on the Initiative's website.

In our work with the Tenants' Initiative, we believe that the shape of the city and housing should be determined self-governingly and democratically by the needs of local people, not according to the logic of maximising profits for big market players. We link grassroots collective organizing, education and research.

Climate Justice

Global heating caused by two centuries of economic growth based on ever-increasing consumption of fossil energy causes escalating disruptions to our climate which endanger both human welfare and the long-term habitability of our planet. We are in the middle of a climate crisis - manifesting itself also in the current European droughts - which weighs heaviest on socially disadvantaged groups of people and thus deepens the already gross social inequalities. This is true both within the Czech republic, and throughout the world, where the changing climate has the worst impact on the poor countries of the Global South.

Housing

The share of tenants in the housing market is constantly growing, and in large cities in the Czech Republic they currently account for up to a third of the population. Their protection, however, is minimal. Rental prices are rising much faster than salaries and lease contracts are usually concluded for only one year, sometimes even less. People in rented accommodation are therefore living in constant insecurity and their housing costs are increasing.

Democratization of energy

There are approximately one million people living in energy poverty in the Czech Republic and we are one of them. The energy crisis is causing major energy companies, including fossil fuel companies, to make record profits, while consumers face ever-increasing energy costs. Decarbonising the energy sector and fundamentally transforming the energy market are essential to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. However, if we remain passive consumers, we will continue to be exposed to market fluctuations and uncertainties.

Education

Our educational projects open up debate about the causes of social and environmental problems and develop the skills needed to solve them. We organise ourselves according to the principles of self-management and organise training courses in which we introduce self-management and help to apply it in practice. We use non-formal education methods and learn from each other.

Solidarity Economy

What is the economy and what or who is it for? The original meaning of the word refers to "household management". A well-managed economy could administer our planetary “household” to meet the needs of all within the boundaries of our planet. Instead, the current economy hoards meaningless wealth in the hands of a few, while denying access to basic needs for the majority and devastating the ecological foundations of life on our planet.

Financing the climate collapse

In the world of financial institutions, the fossil fuel industry still enjoys great support. If we are to avoid the worst effects of the climate crisis, we need financial institutions to stop supporting coal-fired power stations and to refuse to participate in the planned development of gas infrastructure, waste incineration, unsustainable biomass management and other unethical activities of fossil fuel companies.