‘Glorious day’: Ambitious Habitat project welcomes four new families

Tesfaye Aredo thought the day he owned a home would never arrive.

The 55-year-old, along with his wife, Gadise, and four children are one of four families expected to move into their newly built homes in Transcona over the next few weeks thanks to Habitat for Humanity.

Construction workers, friends and donors celebrated a key ceremony Thursday for the families beginning a new chapter in their lives and what is also Habitat’s largest development project in its 37-year history.

“I can’t believe we’ve come to this. I’m so excited,” Aredo said. “I’ve worked very hard, believe me, so it’s a very glorious day to be here.”

Aredo, along with his wife and four children — Monica, Bilise, Habiya and Yona — have lived in a three-bedroom apartment in East Kildonan for more than five years. He said it contains only one bathroom and is too small of a space for his family of six.

“It hasn’t been easy. It’s a very hard life,” Aredo said.

Aredo’s new home on Pandora Avenue West has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a spacious living area and kitchen.

The 55-home project has already welcomed 24 families and are expected to house nearly 275 people, including 175 children, when completed.

Aredo expects to move in when his apartment’s lease ends later this month.

Habitat is also working on housing projects in Brandon, Neepawa, and on Panet Road north of Nairn Avenue in Winnipeg.

Jamie Hall, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Manitoba said the Panet location will have 10 duplexes, with one already complete. It will house 18 more families.

“We’re always looking for the next big patch of land that we can serve a number of families that need it,” he said.

Hall said helping families with financial restraints wouldn’t be possible without external support from governments and donors.

Since 2019, the federal government has contributed $11.7M through the Affordable Housing Fund, Habitat spokesperson Christa Mariash said.

Hall said Habitat also received $300,000 from the provincial government to help accelerate the building process at Pandora. Donors including Spirit of Hope, Cycle of Hope and Ride Around the Lake also provided funding.

“Our families feel special when they know that there’s a group that’s sponsored them. It makes them feel a part of the community that wants them to succeed, and wants the best for them,” said Hall.

Aslan Sejdi is also moving into the new units later this month after his family fell ill in their rental unit.

“It was very bad. That’s why we applied for Habitat,” Sejdi, 49, said, noting two of his daughters Halima, 10, and Zainab, six, suffered from serious asthma due to mould in their previous residence.

Sejdi, a computer programmer at Fort Garry Fire Trucks, has lived there for six years but is looking forward to a fresh start with wife, Eljifa, and their four daughters.

“This is a dream come true that has been waiting to happen,” said Sejdi. “This means a lot to me and my family, and we’re so grateful for this opportunity.

“The building is more healthy for us now, and it’s just going to be better. This day is full of happiness.”

massimo.deluca-taronno@freepress.mb.ca