Halima and Abu

For Halima Abdi and Abu Wali, life is about balance. With three energetic young boys and their teenage niece at home, it can be hard for these working parents to find time for their own careers. And for the next few months they will do all that, plus attend homeownership classes and work several hundred sweat equity hours on their new Habitat house. In the end, they know that it will be worth it. "We’re going to have a better place to live," says Abu. "We’re going to live the American dream, to own our own home."

Since moving to Minneapolis in 1998 from Somalia, Halima and Abu have put down roots in the local community. They are regular members of their local church and have a strong family network in the area. Still, with a growing family they need a house of their own to thrive.

Along with the space, independence and stability that come with owning a house, Halima is looking forward to having "a place for my children to grow up, to run and play." Halima and Abu want the same for their children that any parent does – to be happy, to graduate from college, and to have a better life. They hope their new house will help achieve those goals. Their kids for now are just happy having a place to skateboard, ride their bikes, and play soccer.

Even as their dream of owning a home is coming true, Halima and Abu know that success doesn’t come without hard work. "We’re just a basic, normal family with normal problems," Abu says, "We deal with it day by day, the same as everyone." They will continue to save money and prepare to pay their mortgage. When it comes to their own home, they want to work harder than ever, because it will be for themselves and their future.

Halima and Abu have already started putting in long hours building their new house. They both enjoy working side-by-side with Habitat volunteers, who come from all around the metro area. "It’s a lot of fun, and we meet a lot of people," Abu says, inspired by their example, "I’m willing to give my free time to volunteerism and to my community now."

While there is still much to do, Halima and Abu are both thankful for this opportunity. They agree, "We are already proud of our Habitat home."