More room in a Habitat Mexico house

Among the 500 attendees of May’s Latin American and Caribbean Housing Forum, in Monterrey, Mexico — co-organized by Habitat for Humanity — a family of seven stood out.

“My family is here because Habitat for Humanity helped us improve our home, and we are very thankful,” Rosaura Soriano said during the event. “Habitat changed our family’s life, and hopefully it will continue to help more people like us who need a decent home.”

The Soriano family used to live in a 260-square-foot, one-room home on the outskirts of Monterrey. Rosaura’s five children — including 16-year-old Itzel, who has special needs — slept, ate and did their homework in the same overcrowded space.

“It was a very stressful situation,” says Edgar. “I would come home after driving a cab all day, and the kids would be fighting. They did not have enough room to coexist. It was almost like you couldn’t move because you would inadvertently hit someone.”

Thanks to Habitat Mexico, the Sorianos were able to add two small rooms to their house. “It has been a big change for us, especially for our children,” Rosaura says. “We feel nothing but gratitude towards our neighbors and the Habitat volunteers and staff who helped us.”