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 A constant fear of thieves and never-ending maintenance on his family’s thatch and mud house are two worries that haunt Prem Bahadur Thakula. The walls of his family’s house have to be coated with a fresh mud and manure mixture every two weeks; the entire structure must be rebuilt every 18-24 months. Thakula heard of Habitat when a neighbor’s house was built. Constructed of brick and mortar, with concrete plaster on the walls and floor and a cement tile roof, that house represented lasting security for his neighbor. Thakula longed for the same for his own family.
—Thakula’s Habitat house is currently under construction. As he works his “sweat-equity” hours, Thakula is grateful that this time, his hard work will last |
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When Remedios and Vergilio Abellos imagine a new life in a Habitat house, they envision security. Presently, the Abelloses and their six children (five of whom have families of their own) live in a makeshift shack on land borrowed from a man who lives in the United States. The Abelloses worry constantly about the day the absentee owner will force them to find another place large enough for their family and their hog farm. “It is hard when you always anticipate the time when you will be evicted,” says Remedios. Their house is made of used iron sheets and flimsy wood. Even though the house sits on stilts, water still seeps in when the area floods. “Once we have our new house, we will no longer fear eviction or floods,” says Remedios. “We will take care of that house because we labor for it.”
—The Abellos family is scheduled to move into a new Habitat house later this year.
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 Despite its idyllic location, Papua New Guinea faces tough housing challenges. Natural materials are difficult to gather, and a tropical climate wreaks havoc on traditionally built shelters.
For Eku Jacob, a subsistence farmer, gathering the timber and grass for his house is a never-ending task. When he can leave his crops, he walks long distances to search for building materials. Eku and his wife, Gemisa, are in their 50s, and the prospect of continually rebuilding is a source of anxiety as they grow older and resources become more scarce. A sturdy Habitat house will significantly ease their worries.
—The Jacobs have served as volunteers for the Omang affiliate since its founding in 1993 and say they plan to continue. |
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 For seven years, Roslyn Hamlin and her four children were on a waiting list for public housing. During those years, Roslyn moved from one property to another, seeking an affordable living situation. By the ages of 15 and 13, Roslyn’s two oldest children had attended 10 different schools—a result of their frequent moves. The family’s last rental house was continually damp, resulting in mold that was a special health hazard to 6-year-old Aiden, who suffers from cystic fibrosis. Roslyn’s years of waiting came to an end when she qualified for a Habitat house that will include wheelchair ramps for Aiden.
—Roslyn Hamlin has named her new house “Believe,” saying, “You can believe in anything, and it will come true.” |
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