Goodbye, Beer. Hello, House!

How do you face each day when you live in a very small cottage with a leaking roof, share the space with 6 people including an old sick mother and a husband with a drinking problem?

This is what Ms. Soun Sean face each day. Every day has been a challenge for her until an unexpected gift came.

When Habitat Cambodia implemented the GRACE project through the support of Habitat Singapore, luckily, Ms. Sean is one of the most vulnerable families that has passed the qualifications to be selected as a home partner for the Home Owner Build approach.

The Home Owner Build approach is a new initiative of Habitat Cambodia where home partners are more engaged in building their homes. Here, the families lead the purchase of materials, supervision of skilled workers, and coordination with Habitat.

The results of Habitat Cambodia’s Home Owner Build approach have been so far successful. The families are more involved and empowered in the house construction. As a result, they are more appreciative of the process as they have experienced the challenges of house construction, and have learned the importance of resilient house designs, and budgeting.

Ms. Sean said, “I never been involved in the construction before but due to the kindness of Habitat staff who provided my family with a new wooden house, I am so glad. I am so excited to have a chance to lead the construction by Home Owner Build Approach.

Through this support, my drunkard husband has completely changed now.”

She said that her husband used to drink a lot of beer but since he heard that HFHC is providing a house, he started to commit and involve in the construction monitoring during the build and then he stopped drinking beer.

With the new comfortable house for the family especially for her mother and a new attitude of her husband, Ms. Sean can now face her life, every day, with a smile.