Merlinda, James and Jann are extremely grateful for Habitat for Humanity help. They all have their own rooms. James can sleep in peace without having to hear his brother Jann’s snoring. While Jann wants to decorate his room with animals, James has visions of basketball players and posters in his room.
Merlinda came to Canada from the Philippines with her two young boys, James and Jann, in the summer of 2007. She wanted to give her boys a better life with more educational opportunities and job options. The boys are doing very well in school and Merlinda has found herself a secure full-time position as a health care aide.
The first Habitat home has been built by using the mortgage payments from previous Habitat for Humanity Legacy Fund homes. The keys to the Habitat home were presented to Merlinda and her two sons, James and Jann last month.
“This home is an example of a successful partnership that has been influential in stopping the cycle of poverty. Homeowners not only put their sweat equity into the building of their home, but they also play a key role in sustaining the Legacy Build fund through their mortgage payments, which are reinvested to build more homes for other eligible families,” said Sandy Hopkins, Habitat for Humanity Manitoba CEO.
Established in 2008, the Legacy Build Program is a visionary partnership, between Habitat for Humanity Manitoba (HFHM) and Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries, with a self-sustaining model of funding that enables the construction of homes for low income families for decades.
Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries committed $3 million and over the past six years HFHM raised matching funds to build 49 homes in communities throughout the province. This year the accumulated mortgage payments were enough to pay for the construction of the 50th home without needing to raise additional funds.
About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity Manitoba is the local affiliate of a global non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating poverty housing and to making decent housing a matter of conscience. Since 1987, HFHM has partnered with local businesses, faith groups, and thousands of dedicated volunteers to build homes for over 275 Manitoba families.
Photos by Ron Cantiveros | Filipino Journal
