For Alex and Alla, the concept of home has always been intertwined with survival, resilience, and the hope for a peaceful future. The parents to three children—Margo, 12, Milana, 8, and 2-year-old Michelle—their family’s story is one of incredible hardship and profound gratitude, culminating in a life-changing opportunity alongside Habitat for Humanity Tucson’s Homeownership Program.
The family’s path to Tucson began in Ukraine, amidst the turmoil of war. Alla, six months pregnant with Michelle, made the courageous decision to emigrate with their two daughters through the “United for Ukraine” program. Alex remained behind, living for eight months under constant bombing before he could join them.
“It was a miracle for us,” Alla shared. They arrived with the support of an aunt living in Tucson but soon faced the challenges of establishing a new life. They currently live in a small, outdated two-bedroom apartment where rent and utilities consume a large portion of their income. The apartment has problems, from a leaking bathroom to a broken dishwasher, and a community pool that has been closed for years.
“We got shooting a lot of couple times in our apartment complex... it’s not secure,” Alex stated, emphasizing their desire for a safe environment for their children.
Amidst these struggles, friends told them about Habitat Tucson’s homeownership program. At first, it sounded too good to be true. Alex, who frequently browsed home listings, knew traditional homeownership was far out of reach. “I told my wife, you know, right now for us, it’s impossible,” he recalled.
Despite their doubts, they applied. The life-changing news came in a phone call Alex received while driving. “First of all, I thought it’s a scam,” he laughed. “And she said again, ‘Alex, you got accepted your family for that program.’… I went to my wife and said, oh, that is happening. It’s not a dream; it’s reality right now.”
For a family that had endured so much, this was another in a series of what they call miracles.
“Every day for us here, it’s a miracle,” Alex expressed. “How I got my job, how we live here… we lived in Ukraine eight months under bombing and rockets. And right now, we’re here.”
Now, the couple is deep into their sweat equity hours in the Homeowner Program, working alongside their future neighbors. Alla proudly recalls learning to use a saw for the first time. “I never knew that I would be working like a professional… I did it. I was so proud of myself.”
Alex’s motivation on the site is simple and profound: “I told Alla… let’s imagine that’s our house. So, we give everything 100%.”
This new chapter is especially important for Alex, whose family in Ukraine also dreamed of having a home of their own. He comes from a family of 7 children where his father worked hard to build their family a home where they each had their own room. His father had nearly finished building a house before it was destroyed by a tank.
“When I shared with my parents that we will have the house here,” Alex shared, “they were like, no way… For us, it was a real big blessing.”
This family has been waiting a long time to have a place called home, where they are safe and secure. All these years later, Alex builds alongside Alla and completes his father’s vision of a house for their own daughters. When asked what they are most looking forward to, the answer was unanimous: space and community.
“Finally, we got my room, my own room,” Alex said, echoing the excitement of his daughters. Beyond the physical space, they are thrilled to be building a community with the families working beside them. “To have good neighbors right now in this time,” Alex noted, “this is one of the important things.”
For Alla, the new home represents emotional stability after years of upheaval. “We want to have our space where we’ll be able to take a rest, you know, something like for our soul.”
Through partnership, hard work, and unwavering hope, they are building more than a house. They are building a foundation for happiness, security, and the future they dreamed of when they embarked on their journey to Tucson.
Like Alex and Alla, your family can benefit from the Habitat for Humanity Tucson’s Homeownership Program. Learn more about how it works here.