For nine years – 5 members of the Aranda family on Jasmine Street punished inside a dilapidated two bedroom home which leaked when it rained. But that has changed - at least for Adelita Aranda, her 7 year old son and 5 year old daughter. That is because – thanks to the Rotary Club and the Hand in Hand Ministries – she has a new home. We were there for the official handing over this afternoon.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This structure which resembles nothing more than a broken down shack is what Adelita Aranda and her family have called home for 9 years.
Adelita Aranda, Received new house
“It was rough because my children, we were sleeping on the floor and then my mom in the bed and when it rained we got wet up in the house so I thank God we got a better home.”
This is her better home – a new two bedroom structure on Jasmine Street
which she’ll share with her two children.
Adelita Aranda,
“I know that I could rest now and then my children have a better chance so they could get a good education and later days when I past, they will have something which they could say my mommy left this for me and what Hand in Hand gave my mommy to stay in.”
Bernard Panton Sr., Hand in Hand Ministries
“She is getting a 16 by 16 plywood house, treated pine and we worked on this house along with Rotary and so this house has electrical fittings and it also has plumbing. It is a great feeling because we like to work with families to help families to empower themselves so it is something that happens on a daily basis so it is not anything strange or anything new to me but I feel very great working with this organization that does a lot of help for families.”
Keith Swift,
What was your reaction when you found out you’d be getting a new house?
Adelita Aranda,
“Hmm I don’t really know. I think that is the best news I ever got from God because then only he knows what me and my children were going through.”
Keith Swift,
When do you plan to move in?
Adelita Aranda,
“I moved in from the day when they built it but it is just that I don’t have no house things right now until later on.”
The house is valued at $15,000 and was built with sweat equity from the Aranda family and Rotary members. As Adelita mentioned – she is already living in there but it is empty because she doesn’t have any appliances. Hand in Hand Ministries has been in Belize since 2002 and Director of Special Projects Bernard Panton says they’ve built 114 houses.
