The night of July 18, Krystle laid in bed wide awake, too excited to sleep. It was raining, but the overcast skies didn’t darken her bright and sunny attitude because tomorrow was the day she would finally move into her own home.
Hand-in-hand with her youngest daughter, Kasiya, Krystle stepped foot into her Habitat home the next day; she was a homeowner for the first time in her life. With her eldest daughter, Samaya, away at a dance retreat, Krystle and Kasiya settled down for the first night. Like Krystle the night before, Kasiya found it difficult to sleep. She was too excited, and it felt strange sleeping in a new place after living in their previous apartment for 16 years. A few days later, Samaya joined her sister and mother, and the family began to fill the empty home with their belongings. Their dream was finally happening!
For the first time, the family decorated their home how they liked. Samaya and Kasiya were never allowed to paint their rooms or even put pictures on the wall in their old apartment. While they used to share a bunkbed and one room, Krystle says she can hardly coax her girls out of their rooms now, as they love having their own privacy and decorations. The kids enjoy jumping on a trampoline in their backyard while Krystle relaxes on her patio set. Their neighbourhood is quiet, and Krystle feels secure.
In contrast, their previous two-bedroom apartment was small and cramped. Although they had lived there for 16 years, Krystle was unable to save enough money for a down payment or to move out. Her children were always begging to move into a house, but the pressure and stress made Krystle feel trapped. Habitat homeownership provided Krystle with a hand-up to exit the rent cycle and own a home.
Krystle sees homeownership as a new adventure and is thrilled to see her daughters gaining confidence. She no longer worries about rent and knows that every payment she makes is investing in her family’s future. She is creating a safe home for her children and is happy knowing they will never need to worry about stable housing like she did.
