A Home for Life

Rizavima had lived in informal settlements in Manila, Philippines, for nearly four decades. Soon after welcoming her third child seven years ago, Rizavima also greeted a newfound certainty that her children would grow up in a safe family home; a Habitat home. This was the first time she had experienced the safety, privacy, and joy of homeownership.

For two years, prior to moving into her Habitat home, Rizavima’s home was a bunkhouse in Quezon – small, cramped, unsafe, and always meant to be a temporary form of accommodation. The roofs leaked, the floors were damp, the air lingered with the smell of sewage, and she had nowhere private to wash her clothes or bathe. The poor living conditions put a strain on her children’s health and her younger daughter got sick with dengue fever.

In 2017, the Local Government of Quezon City partnered with Habitat for Humanity Philippines to upgrade 266 homes in Quezon through the Bistekville 4 Socialized Housing Project. All 266 families were informal settlers like Rizavima, who were living in very poor, unsafe conditions without secure tenure.

With no formal right to the land their homes stood on it was very difficult for families to build a strong foundation for themselves in the face of such uncertainties.

Habitat designed the two-storied walk-up apartments were through a consultative process with the families, and constructed with basic amenities such as a kitchen, bathroom, and separate living and sleeping areas in a compact but comfortable 40 sq meters layout.

“We extended the loft to create additional space for my children and they love it. They have more space to play now and spend most of their time there,” says Rizavima.

Most families in Bistekville have taken a similar approach, extending their loft to create additional space to meet the needs of their growing family. Rizavima explains that the extension cost the family 20,000 Philippine Pesos, and her husband and brother worked on it themselves to save additional costs.

“The kitchen is my favorite part of the house,” says Rizavima through a smile. Little Jollibee figurines are lined on top of the cabinet, courtesy of her youngest son’s love for the fast-food company. The living room walls are filled with framed pictures of her children’s graduation photos, her pride and joy.

Living in the neighbourhood has also allowed Rizavima to feel like she is part of a community. On some Saturdays, she gets together with the other women in Bistekville to attend Zumba classes. Sometimes they hold community events at the neighborhood Church which brings all the families together. She can rely on help from the Homeowner’s Welfare Association (HOWA) volunteers, and they all help each other out. Her children go to school nearby, her husband works as a messenger within commuting distance, and the location is convenient for all her needs.

And at the centre of the family’s day-to-day activities is their home; a well-loved, lived-in home to return to. Modest and filled with love and hope for a better future for her family. Rizavima’s four decades of living in an informal settlement has come to an end, with ownership rights that finally reflect her deep roots in her community.