Fadumo Odawa is originally from Somalia. After the civil war broke out, she fled to Ethiopia, where she lived for 12 years before coming to the United States as a refugee. She has now been in the U.S. for 10 years.

Fadumo is the proud mother of a 15-year-old daughter who attends Iroquois High School. Her daughter enjoys reading and watching movies, and both are excited about what the future holds.

The family currently lives in the Douglass Park area. While they are thankful for their home, the apartment complex is very old and has faced safety concerns over the years, though conditions have recently improved. Fadumo works at Amazon in the shipping department, where she has been employed for eight years.

She began looking into homeownership because she wanted to improve the living situation for herself and her daughter—to have a place of their own and a foundation to prosper in life. “I wanted an asset, not to keep paying rent to a landlord,” she says. Fadumo first heard about Habitat through friends at work—some of whom are Habitat homeowners—and also from social media. Encouraged by their stories, she decided to apply.

It was her first time applying, and she was accepted. She still remembers it was her day off when she received the call that she had been chosen for the program. “It made me so happy,” she recalls.

For Fadumo, HOME means a place to improve my life and live in peace and harmony. The first thing she plans to do in her new home is invite friends over for a celebration. Her daughter is thrilled to finally have a space that is just for them—without the challenges that come with apartment living.

To the sponsors, volunteers, and staff who are helping make their dream possible, Fadumo says: “Thank you very dearly for your support in helping us have a home of our own.”

Steve Holm and Phil Martin are members of St. Matthews Baptist Church and are the lead contractors for what is known as The Baptist House.  Together, Steve and Phil have helped build more than 100 houses for Habitat!