Family of Eight Gets a New Home

On Sunday March 26 ArcelorMittal Dofasco and Habitat for Humanity Hamilton presented keys to a brand new home for a family of eight.

Jusufu Bah and Aminatou Diallo, originally from Guinea and parents of six wonderful children, were one of four families to receive keys to town homes built on the former Robert Land School playground on Wentworth Street North in Hamilton.

At the key dedication ceremony Jusufu said that their new home is, well, overwhelming.

Guinea is a French speaking coastal country in Western Africa about the size of the UK. There are 10 million inhabitants. It’s very poor with a GDP of less than $1000 per person. Primary schools are attended by about 40% of the population but many girls are kept home to support the family with domestic and agricultural chores.

The Bah family came to Canada for a better life with more opportunity. Thanks to Habitat for Humanity, they found it.

It was immensely gratifying to be able to present the keys to the Bah family on March 26 on behalf of my company and colleagues.

As part of the corporate donations program, Habitat asks that a portion of funding be sent to the developing world to support Habitat efforts there. A total of $5000 of the ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s donation was sent to a project in Egypt where homes are built for $1300 each. As a result, three or four Egyptian families are also benefiting from the same donation.

In my role with Habitat Hamilton as Build Committee Chair, I have seen much of the hard work that the Habitat staff, Committees and Board members have done to find families in need and to plan and build these new homes. The three ArcelorMittal Dofasco build days gave many people at Habitat a first hand demonstration of "our strength is people". Thanks to all the volunteers who provided a "hand-up" for the family. Five families in the world now have safe and affordable housing due to your generosity.

However, the challenges of affordable housing in Hamilton are not over yet. Please mark your calendars as construction on the next four Robert Land town homes starts this fall. For volunteer opportunities visit habitathamilton.ca.

How does Habitat provide “a hand up, not a hand out” for our Partner families?

Habitat for Humanity holds an interest free mortgage for the value of their home less the value of the 500 hours of sweat equity they contributed. As they repay their mortgages, they will begin building their equity and will have a safe, well built, energy efficient home for smaller payments than their current rent.