Highlighting a Partner Family
Daniel and Marina are from El Salvador, but have lived much of their lives elsewhere. When the civil war in El Salvador began in 1980, they both fled to Honduras with their families, remaining there as refugees for nearly a decade. After a brief return to his home country, Daniel moved to the Bay Area in 1990 with the support of a brother and cousin already here; Marina arrived with similar help in 1994. Although they met as teenagers in Honduras, it was only after moving separately and independently to Oakland that their relationship began.
The Zavala-Otero family found out about Habitat for Humanity East Bay’s homeownership program through Marina’s sister and Daniel’s brother, who recently purchased a home together at the Palm Court site in West Oakland. Daniel’s cousin, Juan Zavala, is also a Habitat homeowner, as well as a Habitat employee. After donating time at the West Oakland site to help family members complete their sweat equity hours, they decided to apply for the program themselves, and moved into their Edes Avenue Habitat home in March 2007.
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“We hope to continue sharing our lives with [our neighbors], form strong friendships, and support them however we can.”
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To complete their own sweat equity requirement, Marina and Daniel spent every Saturday working at the Habitat construction site. Marina enjoyed the work and reports that despite language limitations, Habitat staff always found a way to communicate the tasks that needed to be completed. Daniel also enjoyed the on-site work and has continued to volunteer even after the family’s hours were completed. “You learn so much there,” he explains, “there are so many parts to building a house, and you learn each of them.”
Marina and Daniel don’t have a lot of free time these days, but they enjoy taking their daughters to the beach, the zoo, or to the park to play. Daniel stays active fishing, playing soccer, running and biking. They also remain involved with the Obrero Católico, an organization that housed them and helped them to find work when they first arrived to the area.
Before moving in to their Habitat home, Marina, Daniel, and their two daughters all shared one bedroom in a three-bedroom house. In those days they had already given great thought as to how to enjoy their new home; with more space, their daughters now have space to study and to play, and the family can invite family and friends over from time to time. Marina and Daniel know their neighbors well thanks to the 500 hours of sweat equity they completed including leadership trainings, homeowner education meetings and starting the Homeowners’ Association. Daniel and Marina hope to continue sharing their lives with their neighbors, form strong friendships, and support them however they can.
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