Ana Tomás Zacarías Family

Ana lives with her niece, Stephany (6) in their new Habitat home in Valle de las Flores Habitat Housing Community in Escuintla. Ana works as a fruit seller in different markets around Escuintla and Chimaltenango, while Stephany goes to school.

She is one of the 41 families who received a fully subsidized Habitat home through the Fuego Volcano Disaster Response project. The families who have benefited from the project are from the communities of San Miguel Los Lotes, Los Barrios and El Rodeo. The Fuego Volcano eruption affected over 1.7 million Guatemalans, leaving many dead and missing, and thousands seeking refuge in temporary shelters.

Following the tragedy, Ana and Stephany lived in several shelters until they found out about the program and received a visit from Habitat Staff. After a few months they started to build a new home for themselves.

 

Now, they are starting a new life in their new home. When asked about how she feels, Ana says, ”I feel very happy and content, at peace.” In the future, she is planning to add a big garden and a fence around to have more privacy.

Ana shares that she enjoys the weather the most; “it isn’t hot inside, rather its cool and enjoyable.”

She has many memories of the construction process, and the volunteers and donors that helped them. “It was a fun experience, we built together and carried all of the materials,” says Ana.

Ana finishes with a message to all of the donors and volunteers, “Thank you all for your support. I might not be able to repay you, but God will.”