House of ‘Stone-rich, penniless’ family gets makeover

This means that the poor family not only spends a week in luxury, but also goes on holiday. Something they never do. And meanwhile, their house gets a little makeover…

Gran Canaria vs Zoetermeer

Danny and Nadine commute between the Netherlands and Gran Canaria, where they own an apartment with a swimming pool and a view of the sea. A big contrast with Judith and her sons Justin, Oliver and Roy, who live in a social rental house in Zoetermeer, where she makes ends meet every month.

The poignant story of Judith

Judith has been suffering from her financial situation since the cleaning company she ran with her now ex-partner went bankrupt. The large debt that is outstanding gives a lot of stress. To make matters worse, Judith’s ex puts her aside in the twentieth week of her pregnancy. Roy, now three years old, has never seen his father.

Due to the chronic disease endometriosis, a painful condition in her uterus, Judith is completely rejected. With the rising prices in the Netherlands, it is becoming an increasing challenge for single mothers to make ends meet. She is all alone, but luckily she can count on Danny and Nadine’s support for one week.

International home exchange in Rich, penniless

“We like that they can also experience this once to make nice moments and memories together”, says Danny, referring to their luxurious and sunny life in Gran Canaria. That’s certainly what Judith’s family plans to do, because they beam with happiness when they hear that they are traveling to the Spanish island. “This is cool, guys!” They do not know what they will experience once they set foot in the apartment. “Then you see the view: amazing. That’s a view I’ve never seen before.”

To top it all off, the family also gets a staggering €1,700 to spend for a week. That is quite different from the € 80 to € 100 they have to get by in the Netherlands.

Small makeover

Because Judith receives little help in the Netherlands and takes full care of her three children, there has been deferred maintenance in her home. While Judith enjoys shopping with her kids and a luxury boat trip, Danny and Nadine seize the opportunity to give back. They are used to doing odd jobs and the stairs in Zoetermeer could use a lick of paint.

“There is no paint at all on the banisters,” Nadine observes. “It could have a little more attention, but there is probably no money for that.” They quickly spring into action: the stairs need to be painted and they have bought stair mats for next to nothing. The house gets a small, but necessary makeover in a week’s time. Viewers of the program can appreciate that action, let alone Judith herself. “Super sweet”, says the mother surprised.