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Meet A Partner Family!

“We are very excited to move into our new home, as owning our own home has been one of our most important goals since we came to Denver. We have never been happier than the day that Habitat called and said that our family had been selected. It will be really amazing to have a new house.”

In setting out to provide a better life for their two young children, Bwabwa, quoted above, and his wife Fatuma entered a partnership with Habitat Denver. And since the partnership began, the family’s outlook and daily hope have been brightened.

The family’s current home is less than adequate to meet the comfort and safety needs of their growing family. There are many structural problems, including a dangerously sagging ceiling and visible water damage. The management staff at their building does not respond to requests for repairs and any repairs that are made have to paid for out of the family’s own pocket. None of the windows have locks, which is a safety hazard due to frequent visits from vandals and two recent murders in the area. And the rent increases just keep coming.

Bwabwa has worked in environmental services at Porter Hospital for the last two years and is responsible for handling biohazard materials. Fatuma stays at home to take care of their young children. The family has already saved up enough for the closing costs on their new Habitat home and they’ve put that money safely in the bank.

Bwabwa’s has a night work schedule that will work around his required sweat equity hours so he can complete them in time. After attending the Habitat Denver’s Building Skills 101 class, he said, “It was great. It showed me I could be independent.”

Bwabwa and Fatuma plan to take turns looking after their children so they can each complete their sweat equity hours with Habitat. If needed, the African Community Center can help. In addition, Bwabwa says he will continue supporting his partnership with Habitat in the future through his volunteerism efforts.

Bwabwa and Fatuma are eager to settle into a new home in a safe Denver neighborhood with schools close by for their children. And now, they have the key.

“I’m going to keep the house, front and back yard clean and attractive,” Bwabwa said. “I’m ready to have our own place, to provide a better life for our children. It will relieve a lot of daily pressure.”