The Winkler-Morden chapter of Habitat for Humanity is hoping to tackle its sixth build in 2024, and they already have a family selected to receive the keys.
Chapter rep Christina Falk shared last week that the house will be built in Winkler for an immigrant family who has called the area home for four years now.
“We actually had picked them last year already,” she said, noting the family had applied for one of the homes built in Morden and Winkler in 2023.
“The last time we did applications we had so many good ones that we had a lot of trouble picking,” Falk said. “We had three families, but we had another one that was just a perfect candidate, so the family selection committee asked if we could accept them and they would just have to wait until we could build their house next. This is that family.”
Binwa and Idolo (last name withheld at the request of Habitat for Humanity) moved to Winkler from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2019. They have three children, age 3, 4, and 15.
“They are a hardworking family,” Falk said. “He works full-time and she also works part-time in the evening, while also taking language classes to improve her English.
“They are trying really hard to make a life for themselves here. And as we all know, it’s not only hard to make a life for yourself if you are from here, but if you’re from somewhere else, it’s even harder sometimes.
“We just thought they were a great fit,” Falk said. “They have two young children and then one teenager, so they’ve got a lot of years ahead for raising their family in this home.”
Habitat families don’t receive their homes for free, but they are given a zero per cent mortgage with payments geared towards their income. No down payment is required.
The families also must contribute hundreds of hours of what’s called sweat equity, either helping to build their own home or other Habitat projects or volunteering in the community.
Binwa spent some time helping Habitat build the duplex in Morden and also volunteered at the Winkler Harvest Festival this summer.
He says he enjoyed the experience and looks forward to doing more in the months ahead.
This opportunity to own their first Canadian home means a great deal to them.
“I was told about Habitat by my friend …. she told me that this organization can help you get a house and encouraged us to try, because many people apply,” Binwa said.
Being accepted into the Habitat program was real a blessing for the family, which currently rents its home.
“We were very, very, very happy and still happy to be chosen among all the people,” Binwa said.
Community support is key
Mortgage payments from past Habitat builds help pay for future ones, but further fundraising is needed to get this project off the ground.
“We’ve run our numbers and we have about $125,000 left that we need to fundraise to build this house,” Falk said, explaining the cost of lots and building materials continue to increase, so even though a lot of the work is done by volunteers, there’s still a hefty price tag that comes with every project.
They’ll be reaching out to local businesses for support and invite the community to make donations at habitat.mb.ca/chapters/winkler-morden. The chapter will also host a Christmas prize raffle next month.
Falk is confident the area will rally behind this project, as it has for the past five builds.
“We’ve done five in five years,” she said, noting that exceeds the usual pace for a new Habitat chapter, but community support made it possible. “Habitat Manitoba has said to us that any time the Winkler-Morden chapter suggests something they think is impossible, they realize it’s not impossible here.
“At the heart of it, Habitat is run by the local community and it will always be a part of who we are.”
With that in mind, they are optimistic they’ll be able to get shovels in the ground on this sixth house sometime next spring.
“We have our eyes on a lot, so we’re hoping we can finalize that soon,” Falk said. “We’d love to break ground as soon as the snow is gone so that we have a longer time to work on the house before the next winter sets in.”
Given their work and study schedules, Falk noted that Binwa and Idolo are looking for more ways to work off their sweat equity in the months ahead, especially on the weekends.
“If anyone in the community reads this and has a volunteer opportunity that they can help out with, that would be awesome,” she said, encouraging people to reach her via email to info@wm.habitat.mb.ca
