“Home is where I can live decently, where my kids can be safe and have privacy. It’s going to make a big difference for us. It’s going to be a relief. We won’t have to fight for the bathroom anymore, and the kids will have their own rooms.”
For Shamso Abdi, life has not been an easy road. A mother of six, Shamso has endured a range of challenges, from financial struggles to toxic living conditions, all while working tirelessly to provide for her children. After years of hardship, she is on the cusp of a new beginning, thanks to her acceptance into our New Homeowner Program.
Shamso’s journey began in Somalia, where she lost her mother at a very young age. Raised by her uncle and later brought to Kenya by her brother, Shamso moved to the U.S. with hopes of starting a better life. However, after marrying in 2005, she found herself in a difficult and controlling marriage. “I felt like I was in a cage,” she recalls. Despite her efforts to make things work, she was left to bear the weight of the household responsibilities on her own. “I was the one taking care of the kids, cleaning, cooking—everything,” she explains. Meanwhile, her husband, she says, refused to provide financial support or share in the household duties.
The tension at home began to take a toll on her children. Her son, Yaqub, who was once a model student, began to struggle. This was the moment she realized that the negativity at home was affecting her children, and that it was time to leave. In 2018, Shamso moved to Tucson, Arizona, where she hoped to rebuild her life. However, even after escaping an unhealthy marriage, life remained difficult.
“I was living in low-income housing,” she says. “The house was always hot, and if something broke, nobody came to fix it.” Despite these overwhelming challenges, Shamso kept her focus on her children. She worked as a caregiver, a job that, while rewarding, didn’t always offer the stability she needed.
In the midst of all this, Shamso learned about Habitat for Humanity Tucson from a friend who had been living in a Habitat home for over a decade. “She said, ‘This is not good for you. You need to apply for Habitat. It will change your life,’” Shamso recalls. Despite the financial strain and uncertainty in her life, she decided to apply. To her surprise, Shamso was accepted into the program on her first try.
“I felt like I was already in the house,” she says with a smile. Now, as she works to complete her sweat equity hours, she is filled with hope for the future. “I have 139 hours now,” she proudly shares. “It’s tiring, but it’s worth it. I’m learning so much, like how to use the saw and measure wood. I’m learning skills I never thought I would.”
What Shamso is most excited about, however, is the prospect of a home where she and her children can finally have space and privacy. In their current living situation, the family of seven has to make do with just one bathroom, and the children have had to share rooms, with Shamso even sleeping in the living room. “My oldest son told me, ‘I’m 18, I need my own space,’” she says with a laugh. “So, I ended up in the living room.”
Looking ahead, Shamso is filled with gratitude and optimism. “Home is where I can live decently, where my kids can be safe and have privacy,” she says. “It’s going to make a big difference for us. It’s going to be a relief. We won’t have to fight for the bathroom anymore, and the kids will have their own rooms.”
For Shamso and her children, the future is bright. Through perseverance and the support of Habitat for Humanity Tucson, Shamso has shown that even in the face of hardship, hope can be found—and a new beginning is always possible.