Amanda López Family

Amanda, her husband Valentin and their son Jefferson (12) and daughter Glenda Elizabeth (10) have lived in their newly constructed Habitat house for 6 months now. Prior to building their house, the family lived on the same property but the house was small and housed their family of seven, including two adult children and their spouses. Amanda and Valentin recognized the family’s need for space and with the extra land around their house, built a house for themselves and their two young children and also gifted space to her daughter Sheila, to build as well.

Valentin works at a tire shop while Amanda sells fruits nearby the house. Amanda says “it is nice to have our space here.” The new house has two bedrooms and a kitchen, enough room for beds for Glenda and Jefferson and a room for Amanda and Valentin. The family have plans to expand the house in the next few years, “our dream for the house is to put a garden in the front, and a corridor, and eventually, a second level to the house, with more space for the family,” says Amanda.

Amanda remembers fondly the  group of volunteers, who came to help with the construction, “we were happy and got along well, they were hardworking and were a large group. There was a part of the group who worked on my daughters house and another part of the group who worked on mine, it was nice how everyone got along.” Amanda still talks with her daughter, Sheila, about the hard work and says: “you came to lift your hands and to help, thank you, it was a beautiful chance to meet and to know you and to work together.”