The women at FAKTI have often been feeling fragile, insecure and vulnerable. Many have already experienced much pressure from their families and Danish society. Some are traumatized by war; others by many years of abuse from husbands. Many are also illiterate, which is recognized as a disability – not only concerning reading and writing, but also implying a lack of strategy for learning and remembering. The women in this group are not able to meet the demands of the Danish labour market. Many feel misunderstood and left behind by the 'official' Denmark, and have been unable to secure support from the health system. Most of these women have very low self-esteem, and their Danish language is often weak.

It is crucial for FAKTI that the women always feel welcome, and that the atmosphere is positive and inclusive. It is therefore a basic principle that everything is voluntary for centre users, including time spent per visit to the centre and overall duration of centre use. For many of these women, FAKTI is their only alternative to complete isolation at home. The goal in running this centre is to provide relief from isolation, supporting women to feel more fulfilled and strengthening their capacities within their parental role.

© FAKTI, 2021

The main beneficiaries are the women that use the centre. Indirect beneficiaries include 1) the children of these women, as their mothers build strong networks, understand Danish society better, and become more independent, and 2) the municipality as a whole.

The house is open from 9am - 4pm every weekday, and a meal is served twice a week. Monday mornings start with “society café”, with focus on society issues, health and culture. Every Thursday, soup is prepared and eaten together for lunch; on other days there are Danish language classes, yoga, belly dancing and exercise – and there are always visits to the therapeutic garden next door, where flowers and spices are grown. Private appointments with a social worker or nurse are also available, as are Arabic, Turkish and Farsi/Dari interpreters.

Often, FAKTI acts as a bridge between these women and their municipality, the health system, their children's school, and so on.

© FAKTI, 2021

Approximately 550 people visit FAKTI, with 50-70 women coming each day. In total, there are 10 000 visits per year. The association itself comprises 420 members. Women that use the house see improvements in their physical, psychological and and social wellbeing.

Independent consultant firm Als Research produced an evaluation of FAKTI in 2017, through attendance at the house and interviews with users and partners. The main conclusion of the evaluation was that the house is incredibly beneficial to its users. FAKTI's partners said they see a significant positive impact on house users, resulting in increased physical, mental and social wellbeing. FAKTI succeeds in attracting and maintaining regular visits from members of a vulnerable target group which is otherwise hard to reach.

The house is run as an association with a board and members. The annual budget for the house is 2.6 million DKR (350 000 EUR). There are eight employees and six regularly active volunteers. The initiative's main source of funding is an annual grant from the Copenhagen Municipality, supplied with support from the ministry of Social Affairs, private funds and memberships.