Mariam Salem is a single mom raising
three teenage boys. The family currently
lives in a small two-bedroom apartment where they have to
share every living space, depriving them all of privacy and
comfort. Rent is also very expensive and
takes up almost half of Mariam’s monthly paycheck— leaving
little room for the basic necessities to take care of her
family.
Mariam and her sons endure problems
beyond lack of affordability at the apartment, such as a
broken refrigerator that is not cold enough to safely store
perishable items. Without a properly
working refrigerator, creating a healthy meal plan is close
to impossible. Their dryer is also having
problems and sometimes Mariam is unable to dry her clothes
adding additional time to her weekly routine. They also
struggle to find a comfortable temperature with sporadic
heat that will make one room too hot while the room next
door is frigid.
On top of having little space, broken
appliances, and fluctuating temperatures, Mariam’s
neighborhood is no place to call home.
Her neighbors are constantly shouting and making noise at
all hours of the night. She said the
noises make her feel scared, causing the whole family to
feel unsafe and unprotected.
Mariam currently works for Denver
Public Schools as a tutor. She’s
determined to change her living family’s living situation
and is excited to work with Habitat Metro Denver to create a
safer environment for her growing family.
She is looking forward to giving her boys what they need to
thrive and to show them that if you work hard, anything is
possible.