Belgium/Madeleine, 89, Honored for Forty Years of Helping People in Need Find Housing

On July 21, fifty Belgians will take their seats in the VIP section to watch the National Day parade. All have been named BeHeroes 2026. Madeleine, 89, a former nurse with the ONE, will be among those in the VIP section for the July 21 parade. She founded the Collectif Logement – Maison de la Solidarité in Hannut. For more than forty years, this nonprofit organization has been supporting people facing housing difficulties in the Huy-Waremme district.

An Observation That Became a Life’s Work

It all began in the mid-1980s. In her work as a nurse at the ONE, Madeleine saw more and more low-income families struggling to find decent housing: “I realized that the housing problem for low-income people was becoming increasingly difficult.”

Together with a handful of social workers, she helped found a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing this issue. The beginnings were modest: a ground-floor space serving as their office, two part-time staff members, and a lot of resourcefulness.

A few years later, a benefactor enabled the organization to purchase its first house. The project then really took off.

Today, the nonprofit has 33 housing units, 21 of which it owns. It assists many people each year. The nonprofit provides them with housing at a modest rent while they work toward regaining some stability.

I didn’t do anything extraordinary

When discussing her journey, however, Madeleine is very modest.“I don’t feel like I’ve done anything extraordinary. I just feel like I’ve helped make a dream come true,” she tells us.

Her fondest memory isn’t an award, but the people she’s met over the years. “Sometimes I run into someone who used to live here, and they tell me, ‘I bought my own house.’ You don’t need a ‘thank you’ in that case. Because you realize that their time here allowed them to move on. Deep down, that was the nonprofit’s goal: to help people get back on their feet.”

A Nomination Submitted Out of Gratitude

It was Bernadette Michel, the current president of the nonprofit, who nominated Madeleine for the BeHeroes award. Bernadette took over the reins eight years ago. For her, this recognition was a no-brainer. "I think she’s extraordinary. She’s 89 years old, and for forty years, she’s always been there. She’s hardly ever missed a board meeting, and she constantly reminds us of the nonprofit’s mission: to remain at the service of people."

Over the past 40 years, the nonprofit has supported hundreds of people, estimates Bernadette Michel. “It’s a real stepping stone. Families stay with us for a few years before finding a place to live. Without this work, many would never have been able to get back on their feet.”

I never imagined I’d be sitting here one day

When the King Baudouin Foundation told Madeleine that she was one of the fifty BeHeroes 2026, she could hardly believe it. “I still can’t get over it. I wasn’t expecting this at all.”

On July 21, she’ll attend the national parade for the very first time. “It’s an honor. I never imagined I’d be sitting there one day. I’ve always watched the parade on TV,” she concludes , visibly moved.

This recognition is sponsored by the Prince Philippe Fund—administered by the King Baudouin Foundation—and the Royal Palace, which highlights all those citizens who, often working behind the scenes, devote their time to fostering a more caring society.

Source: www.rtbf.be/