Charity Center ‘Dona Ajuda’ (Mrs. HELP) in Lisbon is not just a secondhand shop; it’s a vibrant community center located at the former Rato Market, where solidarity and creativity go hand in hand.
Lisbon & Charity Center ‘Dona’ Ajuda (Mrs. HELP), some volonteers & Operations Manager Pedro Folque (wearing a striped shirt)
Volonteers Graça, Ana, Staff member, Alice, Pedro, Ana, Maria & José, October 2025
Lisbon & Charity Center ‘Dona Ajuda’
One of the volunteers showed us where to drop off the donations.
Our visit was organized by NV Lissabon (Dutch Society) in cooperation with the Dutch-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce. A great experience ! 🙂
Lisbon & Charity Center Dona Ajuda
Workshops, art exhibitions, and neighborhood activities
Charity Center ‘Dona Ajuda’ is a place where you can not only buy all kinds of affordable secondhand items, but also participate in inspiring workshops.
Art exhibitions and neighborhood activities are regularly organized.
Lisbon & Charity Center: Dona Ajuda ajudou…. (Mrs. HELP helped….)
Every donated item gets a second life here, enabling to support lots of families.
Circular economy
‘Dona Ajuda’ promotes the circular economy by giving used goods a new life and thus contributing to help people in need.
Lisbon & Charity Center Dona Ajuda (Mrs. HELP)
Enthusiastic team of volunteers
All kinds of stuff can be donated – such as (children’s) clothing, decorations, toys, paintings, or furniture. All the items wil be sorted by one of the volunteers.
Lisbon & Charity Center Dona Ajuda
Lunch & Middle Eastern dishes
After walking around in the large hall (formerly a market) we enjoyed a delicious lunch in the building, provided by Mezze/Pão a Pão, specializing in Middle Eastern dishes, prepared by refugees.
Lisbon & Charity Center Dona Ajuda , MEZZE restaurant employees
Plant section & beautiful cactus
There’s also a plant section. Plants not in a good condition are lovingly cared for. My purchase: a beautiful cactus. Transporting it wasn’t easy because of the thorns, but with some help it ended up in my garden. Beautiful! 🙂
Lisbon & Charity Center ‘ Dona Ajuda’ , friend Margriet de Vrieze and my lovely dog Nelson
Dona Ajuda’s volunteers sort the incoming donations by checking their condition, ensure that all goods are arranged, and send them to the correct destination.
New donations Charity Center ‘ Dona Ajuda’: work to do!!
Connect those who need help with those who can help
Dona Ajuda is a social solidarity Association that wants to contribute to a better world by creating networks, connecting those who need help with those who can help.
Lisbon & Charity Center ‘ Dona Ajuda’ & outside tasca ‘O Cantinho do Rato‘
October 1st 2025: new donation drop-off days
Open everyday, from 11:00 till 19:00. Donations at Dona Ajuda will only be possible between Thursday and Sunday.
This 3-day weekly pause will allow the sorting team to have the necessary time to carefully check and separate the items that arrive.
‘DONA AJUDA‘, R. Alexandre Herculano, 64 1250-012 Lisbon