SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — One deserving family in Sioux Falls has a brand new home.
High school students and Habitat for Humanity volunteers have been hard at work building homes. On Friday, they handed over the keys.
This Sioux Falls family is overjoyed to have a permanent place to call home.
“Because we are a 10 -person family, it is very hard to look to even rent an apartment. So it was very hard we could not find it, so people had go around, no space for them where we were living. So now we have our own home, we have our own yard, own room, so we are very happy,” said Meliha Oumer, homeowner.
About 60-percent of the construction is completed by CTE students and the rest of the work is done by Habitat for Humanity volunteers and the family purchasing the home.
“It’s fun to get to learn how to build a ready-built and how to hang on shingles and get it done with all the peers that you meet,” said Marshall Pfeiffer, senior CTE student.
“You know the students are probably all taking something a little bit different away from the experience. Again, some of them are looking for the experience to jump into the job force, some of them might just be trying to check out a trade or a career path,” said Rocky Welker, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls.
No matter why they chose to get the experience, they’re all happy to know their new skills are being used to help others.
“Knowing that I didn’t just build this house for it to just sit on the lot, for years and years to go just sit there and rot out, knowing that it’s going to go to a family that is in need of a home makes me what to work harder. Just always doing my best to keep this house looking it’s nicest so that when they get it they like it and they are able to use it,” said Maddie Schliemann, senior CTE student.
“Oh my gosh to move into a new house, to be in my own house, this is my own house. My kids have their own rooms. So we are very happy,” said Oumer.
Habitat for humanity is looking for more volunteers for future projects.
