Around the world, too many children lack access to safe and decent housing. This in turn, places a world of potential out of reach.
With a decent home, parents no longer need to worry about spending money on constant repairs, paying expensive rent or be burdened with the threat of forcible eviction. Instead, they can focus on giving their children an education and brighter future.
A safe home means a clean, dry and well-lit place for children to do their homework, less illness so fewer school days are missed and provides a clear path to a brighter future.
The link between education and housing is undeniable. Read about the families we’re assisting below to see how your donation can make a world of difference in the lives of those in need of safe and decent housing.
Sitadevi’s story
Although Sitadevi dreamed of giving her children an education, the costs of repairing her makeshift home seemed never ending and made breaking free from this cycle, almost impossible.
With the help of Habitat for Humanity, by replacing straw walls with bamboo frames and thatched roofs with corrugated iron sheets – Sitadevi has been able to invest in her children’s education.
“We never imagined that we would have such a house. Now, the children are able to study when we are working in the farm,” Sitadevi said.
“Our newly built house has not only reduced the fear of damage by flooding and erratic rain but also ensures that our belongings are safe.”
Sapudi’s story
Indonesia is one of Australia’s closest neighbours, but the conditions so many families live in could not be further apart. Sapudi is a father, and like all fathers, desires nothing more than ensuring his family is safe. The small income he earns as a labourer is just enough to provide a small, one bedroom house for his three daughters. Their home has no toilet and the roof leaks when it rains.
“I have a dream to make this home a safe place for my family and I cannot imagine people coming to help me. It would be a dream,” Sapudi said.
Although the girls attend the local school, their living conditions make it almost impossible to study. With only a dirt floor and limited electricity, the sisters take turns doing their homework in a section of the home where the light is brightest. In Australia, we don’t think twice about the simple act of flicking on a light switch to illuminate our homes. No child should have to live, study and play in these circumstances.
Troung’s story
There aren’t many things more traumatic for a child than losing a parent. When our colleague in Vietnam met 10-year-old Truong he told them that not only did his father die in a horrific accident, but that he had also been abandoned by his mother, leaving him in the care of his loving grandfather, Mr Tich.
“He really wants to go to school. He tries hard to have good grades,” said Mr Tich. “I often tell him before sleep that only education can give him a better future. Every time he promises me to keep learning, he gives me more strength.”
But Truong did not have anywhere to study in their old home. When it rained, water would leak through the roof and seep through the thatched walls. Truong would cover his books and the family’s possessions with tarpaulin, but often this would not be enough to keep his school work dry, let along protect him and his grandfather during the strong rains and winds.
Living in similar conditions as Sapudi in Indonesia and Sitadevi in Nepal, Mr Tich has always hoped for a safe, secure home that provides Truong with an environment that will enable him to study and make the most of his education.
Fortunately for Mr Tich, the generosity of many supporters like you changed his and Truong’s life forever, building a home for the small family.
“I can’t say thank you enough. It is because of them, my grandson and I can have a decent home to live,” Mr Tich said of Habitat for Humanity’s supporters.
“No more money will be spent on house repairs. Instead I can use that money to support Truong’s studying. ”