Driss and Majda are one step closer to reaching the essence of the American dream. Their Springfield home is under construction with a finish date on the horizon.
Like many partner families before them, the Moroccan couple learned of Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity’s homeownership program from a friend following a housing tragedy. The couple applied in early 2023. In September of that year, Driss and Majda, with their four children, accepted the opportunity to partner, build, and purchase their first home through Greater Springfield Habitat.
“We applied through your program to get a home so that our children would have a better life,” said Driss, the patriarch who works as a truck driver, while his wife Majda cares for the children. “My dream is for my children to be good people and useful to society and do good deeds for the environment and achieve their dreams.”
Driss and Majda, with their two young daughters, immigrated to Western Massachusetts in 2018 via a lottery diversity program in hopes of discovering a new country and gaining more opportunities. For several years, the family acclimated to the United States, welcomed two sons, and lived in a house in West Springfield. One day a car crashed into the home causing structural damage. The house was condemned and the family moved into a tiny two-bedroom apartment in the same town. The older girls share one bedroom. Driss, Majda, and the younger two boys share the other bedroom.
“They’re crammed tighter than sardines,” said Olga Kravchenko, Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) Homeowner Programs coordinator.
Driss said because the rent is too expensive and the apartment is too small, they applied to the Greater Springfield Habitat program after learning about it from a friend.
After months of interviews, a home assessment, a volunteer day on a build site in Holyoke, and reviewing the application, which included personal and financial documents, the family was invited to the West Springfield administrative office in September 2023. There, the family learned they qualified and they were selected from a group of eight suitable families.
“When we received the email saying we had to meet you in the office to discuss the decision that was made, we suspected you chose our family for homeownership,” Driss said. “We thought if we weren’t chosen, you would just give us a phone call or email us.”
Going forward, Driss, Majda will be required to complete sweat equity – volunteer hours on the construction site and/or at other organization-sponsored events; and complete financial education classes.
Olga said she’s excited for the family and the path ahead of them. After all, she can relate. As an immigrant who came to Western Massachusetts from Ukraine as a child, achieving the American homeownership dream is not easy.
“I’ve owned my own home for four years. As an immigrant, I had to overcome the language barrier and other assimilations. I had to work really hard to get to the end goal,” she said. “I love seeing their effort. It reminds me of my own effort and I want their kids to have a good backyard to play in without a grumpy landlord telling them they can’t.”
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