A Habitat Family Story
Ta and Sah Blu tell us how they feel about becoming a Habitat partner family. Please watch the video to get a tidbit about their story https://youtu.be/B2dpevbxh8s.
The details below give us a better understanding of what they went through in their life, which is very compelling. Partnering with this family and giving them the opportunity at homeownership was a no-brainer for Habitat Saskatchewan.
This is what Ta and Sah Blu wanted to share about their story:
“Forced to leave behind everything we knew, we escaped from the civil war in Myanmar. Displaced from our homes, we dreamed of growing roots again. Like you, we wanted the opportunity to build a normal life – have a job, own a home, and start a family.
After 14 long years in the refugee camp, one of our applications to immigrate to Canada was accepted and the other to the USA. We were thrilled to be finally leaving the refugee camp, but now we were going to be separated from each other.
We never gave up on each other or the plans we had made. Our commitment to our dream kept us strong and we were reunited five years later. We were so relieved to be together again, even if it meant sharing a small home with our parents and many siblings. There wasn’t much space for 10 people in the modest house, and soon there would be even less space as we were expecting our first child, Michelle.
When Michelle turned two years old, our second daughter, Milda, was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. Spina bifida is a birth defect where the spine and spinal cord don’t form properly. Most children with spina bifida have some weakness or paralysis in their legs. Hydrocephalus is a buildup of fluid around the brain, which squashes surrounding brain tissue. In some cases, this can cause spasms and brain damage.
Much of our hard-earned savings would have to go toward getting the equipment that Milda needed to grow and play comfortably. It seemed like owning a home would never be possible.
When we heard about Habitat’s homeownership program, we knew it would be just the little support we needed to stand on our own, and we needed to get out of the house we were living in because it was not wheelchair accessible. It was amazing when we met with Habitat, they told us they could help with our accessibility needs for Milda and could give us a chair lift as well.
We still remember the day we received the life-changing phone call. We had been accepted to become Habitat homeowners!
Knowing that our family will be safe, we never have to be apart again, and our kids will have the freedom to live their lives with security, means the world to us. So, thank you so much for helping our family, our lives will be forever changed!”
We always have an opportunity to help someone like Ta and Sah Blu’s family. There are many low-income families in Saskatchewan that are in need of a safe, decent and affordable place to call home. The goal is to set these families up with a chance at affordable housing in Regina and around Saskatchewan in hopes that this will help their children be successful in their journey through life.
In order for us to continue to help families such as Ta and Sah Blu’s, our charity requires donations from the community, at our ReStores, and through organizations and corporate donations. Any donation big or small is appreciated and goes a long way – it takes a village! If you feel connected to our mission and would like to donate to our organization, check out our donation section on our website https://habitatsaskatchewan.ca/donate/.
