Build Dates: March 12th & 13th
Family Information:
Mother- Lucesita
- Age: 33
- Profession: Field Worker
- Weekly Salary: $53
Children-
- Kristen Yoana, 15 yrs, 9th Grade
- Estefani, 9 yrs, 4th Grade
- Alan, 9 yrs, 4th Grade
- Jesus, 6 yrs, 1st Grade
- Edwin, 3 yrs
Kenia is from Jalisco and that is where she met the father of her children. She left him because he was physically and emotionally abusive with her. Her children, in particular the eldest, were the witnesses to this abuse. One day they saw him hit their mom so hard that she needed to go to the hospital. An aunt went to visit them and realized what all Kenia was going through. Kenia weighed only about 105 pounds and going through hell. That aunt gave Kenia $300 and helped her leave and move to Ensenada with her mother five years ago. They arrived in Ensenada and were given a house to live in for a short amount of time. Kenia sought out work and tried to look for a way to be able to provide for her family. Her ex-husband thought that she would return , but because of her pride, she never went back and never asked him for help. He has sent support to his kids on very few occasions. One month ago her uncle asked for the house to be returned to him and so she went to the bank and took out a loan of almost $600 to be able to build a house on the land she had bought on credit two years ago. Kenia's mom, along with some of her friends, helped her to make the move to her land. Kenia works as a housekeeper and the salary she makes is used to make the land payments and care for her children. It has been very difficult for Kenia to provide for her children and make a better life for them.
Vanessa was a single mother of two children. She was married to a man for 10 years, but he mistreated her and she decided to leave him after her daughter witnessed her get hit by the father. Vanessa had started to become afraid of him before that though and thought things could only get worse. Sometimes he would take their daughter Esperanza and make her sleep outside the house. Vanessa left with the two kids and went to live with her parents for two years. Vanessa started to work in the fields and is where she met Rogelio five years ago. Four years ago they were given a place to live on the land where they are currently living. It was just two months ago when they were able to buy it and make it their own. The house they built out of scrap wood and tarps. Their situation is a difficult one. They do not have enough money to cover all their expenses and build a proper home. The desire of Vanessa and Rogelio is to be able to give their children safe place they can call home and be together.
Maria de Jesus was married to Jose her husband of 13 years. During those 13 years together, she, and the kids, suffered from physical abuse. For this reason she decided to leave him before it got worse. They were living at a ranch called Agua Caliente in Ojos Negros. When Maria left Jose, she came to Ensenada to live with one of her sisters. They lived there for a year and a half before moving to a house they lived in while it was on the market to be sold. The house sold and they once again had to go live with Maria's sister. At this time, she met Jesus and they got together. With the help of Jesus, they bought a piece of land on credit and built a place for them to live in; they continue to pay off their land. Jesus doesn't have steady work to provide a stable income for his family and Maria doesn't work as she stays home to care for her children. The children have suffered from internal trauma due to the abuse they received from their biological father and have had to go to therapy sessions with their school psychologist. This has also caused them to fall behind in their school.
Rosario is a single mother. The father of her 2 children left her 2 years ago and went to live with another woman. At that time, she was 7 months pregnant with their daughter. Because of that, it was very difficult for her to be able to find work to support herself and children alone. Thanks to the help of her sisters, she was able to move forward. They supported her with about $17 a week and sometimes with food as well. Rosario had to go live with her mother cause she had nowhere else to go. Rosario also has a sister who still lives at home in their Mom's small house. Rosario's mom donated a piece of her land to Rosario so she could have something to start a place of her own, but Rosario hasn't had the means to be able to build a house for her and her children. Rosario is currently working at a supermarket and earns a salary of about $50 a week, but that is not enough to cover their personal expenses, care for the children, and build a home.
Minerva is a single mother who was abandoned by her husband 3 years ago when he left her for another woman. He does not support or help her in any way. Minerva has never had a proper home, was renting and then decided to buy land to have something of their own. Some of her friends and family members helped her build a small room from scrap wood, cardboard and pieces of plywood. This is where Minerva and her daughter have lived for the last 3 years.
Esther is a single mother who has 2 sons, each one has a different father. She separated from the first husband because they were very young and their marriage was working out. Kenneth was 5 years old when his dad left. Esther met another man and they lived together and had Adrian. When Adrian was born the doctors found a problem in his heart and he has to be taken to a specialist to check on it once every year. Shortly after Adrian was born, Esther decided to leave the second man because he treated the two boys differently, always treating Adrian his biological son better than Kenneth. Esther's mother passed away four years ago and left Esther her home where they are currently living. The home is very old and in very bad conditions. Esther works in Maneadero, far away from where she lives, working as a nanny and housekeeper. She gets paid about $58 a week, but it is not enough to cover all their needs.
Arlet is originally from Veracruz, but moved to Ensenada 8 years ago. It was here, 6 years ago, when she met her husband Jose Angel and when they started living together. For their first 3 years together, they lived with Jose Angel's mother. It was during that time that they had their first child. After those first 3 years, Jose's mother left and let them use her home. Jose Angel has always had a very low salary from working in the fields. One year ago, they decided to buy a piece of land on credit and have something better for their children. They continue to make payments each month on their land. Jose and Arlet have not been able to build a home on their land. They have always struggled economically and because Jose didn't study, there aren't other options for where he can work, other than in the fields. Jose and Arlet have also struggled in their marriage due to the difficult times they've gone through and they separated for a very short time. Jose Angel decided that was not what he wanted and went to Arlet asking for her forgiveness and to come home. Arlet forgave him and they got back together and have continued to work through things together. For the past year they have lived in a small trailer that they have rented from his mom. They are ready to have a place they can call home.
Ramiro and Maria met 12 years ago in Los Mochis, Sinaloa. They lived together in Sinaloa for 2 years before moving to La Paz looking for more work opportunities. Ramiro worked in construction and in the fields. After some time they decided to move to Ensenada. They were renting a house before they decided to get land and move to live on their land. They built a small place to live in however they could with pallets and scrap wood that was given to them from Maria's son. Maria and Ramiro's 2 grandchildren live with them. They are 1 and 3 and have lived with them since they were newborns because their parents are drug addicts and have a lot of problems that affect the well being of the children. Ramiro works and Maria Elena stays home with the children.
Bruno and Marcela have 4 children together, 3 daughters and 1 son; they have been together for ten years. They left Mexicali andmoved to Ensenada six years ago. They decided to do this because there wasn't a lot of work in Mexicali for them and they had heard that it was different in Ensenada; that they could easily find work in the fields. For the first five years here in Ensenada they were renting a small house, but the family kept growing and their children needed a stable home environment. They decided to buy a plot of land and build a small place where they could live and invest in as a family. They have now been living on their land for one year. When they first arrived here, Bruno was able to find a good job working in construction, but his employer had to cut back and Bruno was eventually let go. Marcela also worked at the beginning, but most of what she earned was used to pay a young women to care for their children. Because of this, she decided not to work but rather stay at home and care for her family. Bruno is currently working in the fields, but only has work when it is time to harvest certain vegetables. Once the work is done he will need to find another job in order to support his family. With his current salary they barely have enough to pay for the basic expenses of the home. This family has been going through hard times due to their living conditions, especially after all the rain and storms this winter has brought. Every day they work hard to keep their family together and be able to give their children a better life.
Aurelio and Catalina met 4 years ago and they decided to start a relationship together. After a year they had Abraham, who is 3. A year ago they moved to Ensenada and started to make payments on a plot of land for themselves. They are currently living on their property and have had another child together, Citlaly. Aurelio works in the fields and earns about $9.45 a day. With his salary they make their land payments of $55 a month and take care of their personal expenses and food. Catalina is a stay at home mother.
Luz and Juan are from Sinaloa. They met at a soccer match, started dating and 7 months later moved in together at the house of their parents. Juan worked in construction and was later with the military for a time, but that began to cause problems in their marriage because they send the soldiers away for up to 6 months at a time. When Juan met his daughter Yossiel for the first time he decided to leave the military so he wouldn't leave his wife and daughter alone again. Two years after Danna was born they decided to leave Sinaloa and move to Ensenada. At first they were only going to stay for 3 months, but they ended up staying and for the past 7 years have been living wherever they could until they finally decided to settle down and find themselves their own piece of land. They are currently volunteering at a children's home as house parents. They work there from Thursday at 7am until Monday at 9am. Danna and Yossiel are in elementary school and attend school even when their parents are working at the children's home.
Cesar and Enedina met 10 years ago while working together in the fields, packing onions. They got together and a year later had Cesar Jr. They were always moving around from place to place, depending on where they had work. They later had Maria and Rodrigo. Three years ago they decided to root themselves in Ensenada after they found good jobs living and working on a ranch. The owner of the ranch promised them a plot of land in exchange for their work. But this person ended up selling that plot of land to others and left them with nothing. They decided to leave the job and the ranch. Cesar now works wherever he can, going from job to job, because right now there is no other work in the ranches. They have been on their new land and paying for it since April of last year. The house where they currently are living is made of adobe bricks and the roof is plastic. The children are in school, with the youngest being in Kindergarten. They have no other family here in Ensenada, they are all in Mexicali.
Maurilio and Antonio moved from Oaxaca to Ensenada due to a lack of good work opportunities and the desire for a better life. After moving to Ensenada they found work in the fields where they cut epazotes. They have 6 children together. Their 2 sons are currently away working fields in Camalu and will return in May. Their oldest daughter works with her father in the fields here. Before getting the land they now have they were renting. They have been living on their land for over a year. Maurilio works 6 days a week, from 7am to 4pm. Adan, their eldest son, is married and has an 8 month old daughter Ayelen. His wife and daughter are currently living with Maurilio and Antonia while he is away working.
Jose and Maria were married for 17 years. Maria had previously been living in free union with the father of Jonathan. But when Jonathan was 6 months old, his father left for the United States to work and never returned and never sent Maria any kind of support. Finally in 2013 he came back to see his son. Later on is when Maria met Jose and was married to him. They had 3 children together. They spent many years waiting to get the land they currently own. They live in a small, old house in bad conditions; a dirt floor with carpet laid over. Maria and Jose have been separated for 4 months, and Jonathan was not living with them the last we heard.
Epifania and Florencio are originally from Oaxaca, but they moved to Ensenada 9 years ago due to lack of work and very low salaries in Oaxaca. When they arrived, they began to work in the fields earning $4 a day. For 8 years they lived in a rental house in very bad conditions, and very small. It was then that Florencio decided to get a plot of land for his family where they would be able to build their own home. They have 2 children, ages 15 and 8. Both children are in school. It was always Epifania's desire to be educated, but due to economic difficulties, she was never able to. For that reason she has made a point to have her children stay in school and graduate. Currently, they live in a small home on their property. The house is built of plastic and cardboard; it is in very bad conditions. It is very hard for them to live there. In the summer it is very hot, and then very cold in the winter. Their desire is to have a small place that they can call a home.
Laura and Heriberto have 3 children who are in school. They are from here in Ensenada. The oldest daughter, Alexa, is not Heriberto's child. Heriberto and Laura met after Laura had already had Alexa, when Heriberto was working as a nurse in the hospital. They later got married and had Laura Fernanda together. Shortly after getting pregnant, Heriberto was imprisoned for 3 years for auto theft. While with Heriberto, Laura and them were living with Heriberto's mother-in-law. Laura and her mother-in-law didn't get along and were always fighting, and after 9 years of dealing with that, Laura decided to leave and move to their own place and thought it would be better to be with nothing than to continue fighting with her. Laura's father-in-law has always been very good to her and supported the family, unlike the mother-in-law, and he has helped them with the land payments and any other needs. Heriberto is working as a security guard, but should be getting a new job soon in construction. This family would really appreciate the help of a new home.
Maria is from Oaxaca. She is a single mother. Both her previous husbands cheated on her, so she decided it was best for her to just be on her own instead of being disrespected. She has been single for 3 years now and has dedicated everything to her children. She works from 6 pm to 1 am while her children are alone at home. Alexa and Maria are children from her first marriage, Diana and Pablo are from the second. She used to live in a small house that they rented before deciding to get a piece of land. The neighbors helped her to put up the structure where they currently live. The structure they live in is made of scrap wood, dirt floor, and a tarp on the roof. This family is in much need for a home.
Salvador and Brisa met when Brisa was 15 years old. They got married after Brisa became pregnant and had a daughter. After 4 1/2 years together, they separated because Salvador was struggling with a drug addiction and was physically abusive toward Brisa. 7 years later Salvador reached out to Brisa and they got back together, but nothing had changed and he continued to be unstable and irresponsible at home. They were living in a home in another area of the city where they had no electricity, water, or any sewage system, and because of this, they decided to look into getting their own land. The land they bought doesn't have electricity or sewage either, but there is water. During these past 3 years, Salvador is doing better and is working at a fishery cooperative doing maintenance. 2 years ago they had another child, this time a son, and their oldest daughter has been living with the grandma. Their son was born with allergic rhinitis and suffers greatly from allergies. He has to breathe through his mouth and is in need of an operation to correct the problem. They live in a small house made of pallets and scrap wood, a dirt floor, and tarp covered roof.
Haram and Sonia have been married for 5 years. Haram was a single father because his daughter's mother abandoned them and went to live with another man. Haram later married Sonia and they had a son together. Haram's grandfather sold them the piece of land where they currently live in a small trailer borrowed to them for a year. The trailer is very old and in bad conditions. They built a small room on their land because the small trailer wasn't enough. The cold is here and they are struggling.