For the past 15 years, Tatoul Asatryan (41), his wife Heghineh (33) and two daughters, Karineh (13) and Gayaneh (6) lived in a dilapidated rented house. The family is from the village of Khachik, on the borders of Armenia with Azerbaijan, and Tatoul is employed as a truck driver in the army station located in the village. Heghineh takes care of the household. With a grant from the government, the family acquired a piece of land and started building their decent home, but could not bring it to completion because of lack of funds.
The family currently lived in a dilapidated 2-room house that was fourth degree risked to demolition (could be demolished by an earthquake of 5 Richter’s.). Their old home was very difficult to keep warm, as the roof was leaking and the doors and the windows were non-hermetic. The toilet was in the backyard: a wooden shack covering a hole dug into the earth. The two rooms and especially the bedroom was a very dark place and very difficult to aerate, as it had no windows. The wallpapers of the two rooms were rotten and it did not make sense to repair them, as the house was rented. Heghineh said it was difficult especially for the children who were catching colds quite often because of the unhealthy conditions of the home. The family had always hoped for an affordable loan to complete their new home and was to use the rent money to pay the loan back.
Tatoul says: “I want to move my family into a comfortable home, where the children will grow having their own clean corner to study and sleep. I want my children to have the security of living in their own home.”
Tatoul has a steady, although not high income from her job. The family also owns lands and orchards and makes the ends meet by working on the land. The rent they paid for the old home was a burden on the family, as it did not allow them to complete their half built home. Thanks to the affordable Habitat loan, the family rapidly completed their home and moved in. Now it uses the money for the rent to pay back the loan. The family now also saves money on heating the new home, which is a sunny and dry place.
The Asatryan family moved into their new Habitat home in autumn 2009. Their home is closer to the school, and it is easier for the children to walk there. As their home is a sunny and bright place, the family spends less on electricity.
Tatoul says: “We are very happy in our new home, thanks to Habitat. Compared to the old place, this new home has all the decent conditions to raise a family.“
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