Manuela Pérez Family

Approaching Manuela’s house, you are greeted by steps that cover a steep incline. Manuela, a homemaker and her husband, Wilson, a national police officer, live here with their two daughters—Alejandra (6) and Emily (2). Manuela’s sister-in-law had also built a home through Habitat, and when the timing was right for the family, they decided to build too. During the building, they moved into the home of Wilson’s parents.  When asked how it feels to have a home of her own, Manuela responded, “its a great emotion, I live in my own home, I feel more comfortable. I’m not in another’s house and it’s not loaned.” “Here,” she continues, “We have animals.” The family has a few chickens and plan to purchase more. She says that in this house, “we enjoy our time, our daughters can be outside and pass their time playing.”

When asked about the volunteers who helped them construct their house, Manuela beamed. “They helped us a lot with the burden of the blocks. It took 1800 blocks (to build the house) and each trip, they worked to unload 300 blocks and carry them up to the house. It was a great advantage having them here and it made the work move a lot more quickly. It as a precious experience to have them here. The experience included my older daughter, Alejandra who often asks, “when are they coming again?”” she says and laughs, “we have the photos that they gave us.”