Built by people who live on the ground
Jean-Louis Denis and his wife Samia Ben didn't build HPA from an office. They left Europe, sold everything, and moved to Afghanistan — because you can't transform communities from a distance. They live alongside the families they serve.
From distributing hot meals in Brussels train stations to building wells and planting orchards in Afghan villages, their journey has always been the same: show up, do the work, and build things that outlast you.
Our Journey
Europe: The Beginning
Jean-Louis Denis and his wife Samia Ben ran grassroots humanitarian operations across Europe under the initiatives "Resto du Tawhid" and "Aidons les Pauvres." Regular distributions at train stations in Brussels, Lille, and Paris: hot meals, clothing, unsold food, and material aid for precarious families. They also funded a space where families could collect free baby clothing, strollers, and childcare equipment.
A New Vision: HPA is Born
After discovering permaculture, a new vision emerged: productive, lasting aid. The land itself becomes a tool of humanitarian action - a plantation produces food, a chicken provides eggs, a plot of land creates local autonomy. HPA was born with the mission to transform one-time aid into permanent self-sufficiency.
Benin
First exploratory humanitarian and agricultural mission.
Indonesia
Three months on the ground. An agricultural plot was planted and put into production. That land still benefits local communities in need today. Administrative constraints prevented the project from continuing.
Searching for a Home
Outreach to embassies and exploration of Malaysia, Morocco, and Kuwait for permanent HPA implantation.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan presented itself as a viable alternative thanks to local community support, enabling the permanent establishment of HPA operations. Today, the majority of humanitarian and agricultural projects are developed there.
What Drives Us
Three principles that shape every decision we make.
Permanence Over Charity
We don't give handouts. We build wells that flow for decades, plant trees that feed families for generations, and install systems that communities own forever. One-time aid evaporates. Infrastructure endures.
Radical Transparency
Every project is filmed, photographed, and published. You see exactly where your money goes — not a quarterly PDF, but real video updates from the field. No corporate overhead, no hidden costs.
Community Autonomy
The goal is to make ourselves unnecessary. Every project is designed so communities can maintain and expand it without us. A chicken coop that feeds an orphanage. A garden that sustains a school.
Our Mission
Transform one-time aid into permanent self-sufficiency. Every well built, every tree planted, every chicken coop installed is an investment that produces results for generations.
See Our Projects