Habitat for Humanity East Bay
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Home Dedication Photos
Meet the Nerayo Family
For Teebe Nerayo and Ande Ghebremeskel a home was something they never believed they could own. Faced with the violence of their native country, Eritrea, they believed safety was the first step for their family. Teebe was granted asylum in 2002 and immigrated alone with the intention of bringing over the rest of the family soon afterwards. Despite her efforts, Teebe’s husband and four children didn’t arrive until after 2006. The four years living apart were tough for Teebe, and she often thought of the day when her family would be safely together again.
It was not until 2007 that her entire family was granted asylum in the United States. Life in America was better, but living conditions were overcrowded, unstable and dangerous. Confronted with high crime rates, gangs, and frequent violence, the family moved from neighborhood to neighborhood, residing in three different homes within a single year. At one point the family of six lived in a two-bedroom house, their four children to one room while she and Andemeskel shared the other. The family was happy together, but living under those conditions was very hard.
Teebe heard about the Edes Avenue development from a friend, who happened to live there as well. She immediately applied to Habitat East Bay’s homeownership program with no notion that she would be accepted, but with nothing to lose.
"I didn’t ever dream about having my own home here. Our family didn’t have the money to pay for the down-payment. We never thought it would be possible,"says Teebe.
Habitat East Bay provided an opportunity for a new home - a safe haven - for her family and a place that they could call their own. Teebe applied to the program with a positive outlook, thinking it did not matter how long it took.
Today, Teebe, her husband and two youngest children live in Richmond, waiting to move into their new home. As a family, they completed their 500 sweat-equity hours in just a few months and have continued to work on site, donating their volunteer hours to their neighbors. For Teebe, owning a home is a dream come true, but being a part of a community is something that is even more powerful for her and her family.
"In our old neighborhood, you don’t know who the renters are. Living in a community of homeowners will be different. We’re all working towards the same goal, we all know each other and we all want our community to improve. You care about your neighbors and your neighbors care about you. We are almost family, and families don’t hurt each other, they support each other."
