Meet Ronia and Tawfiq’s family
When Ronia and Tawfiq moved to Canada, they got a fresh start. But one where decent, affordable housing wasn’t on the table.
Before moving into their Habitat Home, the family lived in a one-bedroom apartment where rent cut into other important needs like food and clothing. It was their third apartment since arriving in Canada. That’s a lot of moving around for a growing family, especially with the apartments being too small for everyone’s needs.
Having arrived in the land where they wanted to build their future, Ronia and Tawfiq sought a home where they could plant long lasting roots. Ones that would take them from arriving to thriving in their journey.
Like every enterprising family, Ronia and Tawfiq wanted to live and raise their family in an environment that met their needs, an environment they didn’t have access to before moving into their Habitat Home. The family had become used to spending large portions of their income on pest infested apartments that were unhealthy and overcrowded. They witnessed violence in their neighbourhood as well, leading to regular anxiety about their safety.
“The bedbugs were so extreme. My daughter was scared about that, she started fearing everyday objects,” Ronia says.
Imagine living in spaces that drain family finances, while leaving the needs of the family unmet. Imagine fearing for your safety every time you step out of the house. And imagine seeing the harmful impacts on your children from spaces where they cannot fully participate in their education and wellbeing.
Every family deserves better and with the help of volunteers and community partners, Habitat GTA helped Ronia and Tawfiq find their forever home in the Don Valley Village area.
“This will help us and our lives, having a nice safe place to live,” Ronia says. “Having the experience of being a homeowner and the responsibilities will help us take off. Previously, whatever we spent didn’t give us any return. This home is helping us build our own equity quickly.”
Even with Ronia and Tawfiq working hard in the finance sector, the housing affordability crisis had dashed their dreams of homeownership. It was impossible to save up for a downpayment with rent prices squeezing the family’s goals. “One of my friends told me about Habitat GTA and its activities. I was so curious and after learning more about the model, I decided to apply,” Ronia says. Habitat GTA’s Homeownership model allowed the family to move into their new home without a traditional downpayment and set them up for strength with mortgage payments geared to the family’s income.
Ronia and Tawfiq have navigated so much change, so much uncertainty and so much worry. With the family now settling in at their new home, the future looks bright.
“Our daughter is enjoying a good school, atmosphere and neighbourhood,” Ronia says. “We are living a full life with freedom and a good future for our child.”
You can help more families like Ronia and Tawfiq’s.