Durga (37) and Kondibhau (45) live in Dehane village in Pune district, Maharashtra. They have two children; Varsha (9) and Arjun (6) who study in the local government school. Kondibhau has had a hearing disability since childhood. It affected his speech and ability to communicate. As a result, he could not complete his education.

“We don’t have enough resources for my husband’s treatment or to buy a hearing aid for him. Because of his hearing loss, people have stopped giving him work. We have to manage our household expenses within the meagre salary I get,” says Durga who is the sole breadwinner of the family. She works in a restaurant nearby earning INR 3000 per month.

She adds, “Our old home was constructed by my in-laws. It was a house built with mud and stones but without a strong roof. As our village is located in a hilly region, it experiences heavy rainfall. As a result, the roof leaked every monsoon. With our limited resources we could not do much.

All the homes in our neighbourhood were being reconstructed. My children used to feel bad looking at the state of our home.” In addition to their poor housing condition, Durga and her family did not have access to a sanitation unit or water. She would fetch water from the handpump nearby and store it in the utensils. The home lacked a constant supply of electricity too.

Habitat for Humanity India partnered with Durga and helped her build a new home. The construction of the new home was completed in September 2022, equipped with sanitation units, and solar lighting systems to tackle the issues of hygiene and electricity supply. Durga and her family moved into their new home in a dedication ceremony on 28th September 2022.

“I have no words to tell you how happy I am! My kids can’t believe that we have a new, permanent, concrete home. Now I can focus on the growth of my children and my husband’s treatment.’’ – Durga.

“I aspire to provide my children with a quality education and a better life. I firmly believe that when we set our sights on a goal, it may take time, but eventually, we will achieve it,” says Durga with a smile on her face.