HOME = Everyone
“Mi casa, su Casa,” they say in South America and the sentiment that, “my house is your house,” certainly reflects the notion that good housing helps healthy relationships to thrive.
Good communities are built on good housing. It contributes to thriving school systems and communities. It is a catalyst for civic activism and a stimulus for community-based organisations. Safe homes and neighbourhoods, in which residents are satisfied with housing conditions and public services, help to build social stability and security.
“When I saw my house, I wanted to move in immediately and start living there,”
Was mother-of-two Rosily’s enthusiastic response to her newly rehabilitated house in Tamil Nadu, India.
“Physically it was a strain, but mentally I was very happy because my house was being built.”
When the Boxing Day tsunami struck in 2004, Rosily and her children were away, but when the family returned to the devastated region two weeks later they discovered that the walls of their brick house had cracked and steel beams were protruding from the roof.
Rosily’s husband had lost his two catamarans in the tsunami and had no other source of income to pay for the repairs. The family simply didn’t know where to turn, but when Habitat for Humanity arrived in the village to assess the needs of the community, they had a glimmer of hope.
In no time at all that hope was becoming a reality as Rosily found herself working alongside others to remove the debris, make the bricks and even build the homes.
The community, who supported each other so closely in the wake of the disaster, has built a strong and hopeful future together. Their unity is now infiltrating through every generation.
Rosily’s 13-year-old son Sujih certainly wants to help continue to strengthen the community that supports one another through thick and thin.
“I want to be a doctor,” he says proudly. “I want to help others and take care of my parents when I grow up. I want to treat my parents when they fall ill and I will treat the village for free.”
Across the world Habitat for Humanity is helping to construct decent stable housing to give families a safe home and a good life. By sponsoring a home for just £16 a month, you can help even more families to step into a new life full of health, hope and opportunity.