Meet Tseganesh and Yitayew’s family
A decade of helping others heal from illness without health at home. That’s the story of Yitayew’s growing family as they navigated the GTA’s housing crisis. While Yitayew, a Registered Practical Nurse, helped others through their health challenges, he noticed his own family’s health deteriorate.
Yitayew and Tseganesh, along with their children Nahum and Amaha, live in a one-bedroom apartment near the Danforth Village. The space is too small for their needs and causes health issues due to the presence of mould and pests. And with yearly rent increases on the apartment, the family has less and less to spend on much needed areas like food, let alone save up for a traditional downpayment on a home.
Yitayew works long hours helping folks heal from illness, helping them with their daily lives and recovery therapies. Tseganesh is focused on raising the couple’s two children. With the children growing older, staying in their one-bedroom apartment is no longer an option. The apartment is crowded, with all four members of the family sharing a bedroom. Air quality is also a painful issue in the apartment, with Nahum needing medication to support his breathing.
“Dad, when am I going to have my own room to put my stuff in?” Nahum asks.
Yitayew will soon have a joyous answer to Nahum’s question. The family is looking forward to the space, health and financial security their new home will invite. “Moving into our Habitat home, we will feel a sense of freedom and belongingness with our new community and neighbourhood,” Yitayew says. “We are so excited and ready for a new challenge in our journey. We’re looking forward to better living conditions than we have now.”
With affordable housing out of reach, the family was fixed in their living situation. A situation no family should have to navigate, especially for almost a decade. With help from Habitat GTA volunteers and community partners, Yitayew’s family will soon have a healthier, safer and more spacious home near the Stockyards neighbourhood.
“Our children will have a better future, a growing sense of freedom having their own room where they can focus on their studies,” Yitayew says. “We’re so optimistic that our living conditions will be better. And due to affordability, we may see positive changes in our financial status.”
Yitayew first heard about Habitat GTA’s Homeownership model through a feature in the news. After seeing the joy of families moving into their Habitat Homes, he grew interested in learning more about the model. After a discussion among Yitayew and Tseganesh, the family applied and received good news soon after.
“Living in a decent, clean and affordable home helps our future life journey. We hope that our son’s health will get better with less risk from an unclean environment,” Yitayew says. “As time goes on, living in our new home means less stress in our life.”
You can help more families like Tseganesh and Yitayew’s.