Photo by Erika EngelJune 27, 2008
Home is where the heart is, and this home is full of heart.
Habitat for Humanity Hamilton recently presented a newly renovated home to a grateful family of seven.
Naim and Bukurika Dedinca immigrated to Canada with four of their five children as refugees from Kosovo in 1999. The family fled when a civil war and the threat of ethnic cleansing made life at home too dangerous.
In the fall of 2007, they asked Habitat for some help, and on June 19, Mr. Dedinca was given the keys to a six-bedroom home at 13 Rosemont Ave.
"I feel like I did that day in Kosovo," he said. "Relieved."
Mr. Dedinca told the crowd of volunteers, sponsors, city officials, and neighbours, who had gathered around his porch, that he was grateful to all who helped and happy to see his growing family so well cared for.
"I wish that [my children] will be able to help someone else as we were helped by this country," he said.
Mr. Dedinca recently earned an AZ driver's licence and is working with Skyway Lawn Equipment in Stoney Creek.
His two oldest daughters, Adelina, 22, and Shqiponja, 20, are currently working, but have plans to go to college in September.
Mimoza, 18, was absent from the dedication because she was at McMaster University for a meeting. She is enrolled in the Humanities program there. Mr. Dedinca's only son, Arber, 16, is still in high school, and says he wants to be an electrician.
Since coming to Canada the Dedinca family has grown to welcome another daughter, Ereza, who is almost two years old.
Mr. Dedinca also brought his father to Canada with him, but Mr. Dedinca Sr. passed away last year.
The Dedincas' home was the first renovation project undertaken by Habitat for Humanity Hamilton. The agency typically builds houses on donated land.
Habitat is a not-for-profit humanitarian organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty specifically by promoting homeownership. Habitat receives funding and donations of land, building materials, and labourers, which allow it to provide struggling families with decent places to live. Families also receive an interest-free mortgage.
Sponsors for the Rosemont project included Home Depot, which gave supplies and $43,000 toward the renovation, and Scotiabank, which donated $31,250 to Habitat Hamilton this year.
Many volunteers helped complete the house, including the Habitat volunteers, a group of Hamilton Health Science staff and the Dedincas themselves, who put in a total of 500 hours as "sweat equity."
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