Elia

My name is Elia. I am a member of Fundación Esperanza de México’s Lomas del Valle FAV program. First of all, I want to thank God for putting a young lady on my path who invited me to visit this Lomas del Valle neighborhood. This young woman told me that Fundación Esperanza makes houses with families who ask for support, but that I had to attend a meeting, where they signed us up and then communicated with the families. That's how I came to this program.

I joined the Lomas del Valle FAV in January 2020. I started coming to the meetings that were held on Fridays at 1:30 pm for people who came for the first time, and I remember that they told us that after coming to 5 consecutive meetings we would go to do a socioeconomic study at the address where we lived, and that was it. The advisor Graciela did the study for me and told me to go to the meeting. I joined the group of those who were already under construction and others waiting to build. They told me that I had to save 500 pesos (about $25) per week. When I told my family, they were happy as I was. My husband was not very convinced but I was in.  I paid the savings for the deeds, which was the first thing we had to do to build the house.

My experience with the construction was very good and I learned many things. I only knew how to stir cement with a shovel and sift sand and I really enjoyed that work. But with construction with Fundación Esperanza it is different because they teach you how to tie beams and rebar for the foundations. I also learned to make blocks and what I liked the most was how to remove or take the board to remove the blocks, because for me the table with the blocks was very heavy, but I overcame it. In my project I felt a lot of pressure, although you know that you are not alone because it’s your family supporting you, the FAV group, and the technicians because they are the main driving forces in the construction as well as the social worker who was always nearby for support. Thanks to them and the groups of volunteers who supported me, I am infinitely grateful for their support. I don't remember where the volunteers who supported me in building my house were from, but I want to thank them with all my heart for their support.

The Esperanza program changed my life, it gave it a 360-degree turn, because I had nothing, only debts and the desire to have my own home and Esperanza helped me fulfill that dream. I feel great satisfaction now seeing my house finished, I feel many things that I don't know how to explain, many emotions, it makes me want to laugh, cry, shout to the world and to the people who did not believe in the program, this is true, it is not a scam. Now, many people congratulate me.

I hope the way that I feel, more families who are waiting to build also feel. My experience with Esperanza is the best. Thank you Esperanza, to your entire team of collaborators, keep up the good work, making more families happy with dignified homes.