My name is Kewanda Carr. I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. Coming up as a young girl, I’ve always dreamed of having a place to call my own. I yearned to have true stability for myself and my family. I was raised by my mother in a single parent household along with my two younger sisters and we didn’t always have the best of things. In fact, it was difficult at times but my mother did what she could. My mother always told us that we could be whatever we wanted to be. She said to never sit around and wait on things to happen for us. She told us to go out and get what we wanted. As I grew up, I always kept those words in mind. I was determined to beat the odds and accomplish my goals.
I graduated from high school and went on to college. I left the university after three years of study. I didn’t graduate but I didn’t beat myself up over it because I gave it all I had. I started working to support myself. I didn’t necessarily like what I was doing but I refused to allow my circumstances control me and I had bills to pay.
While being evacuated to Texas for Hurricane Katrina, I found out I was pregnant. I was in disbelief. I always said that I would never have any kids but it was obvious that God had other plans for my life. On February 28, 2006 my life as I knew it changed forever. My beautiful daughter Madisyn Carr was born. So, now every decision I made was factored around her. She came first and she still does. I want her to have the things my mother wanted us to have but was not able to provide. God blessed me with her and I had to take care of her.
As time went on my mother and the rest of my family began to move back to New Orleans. As a first time mother I decided that it would be best to move back so that we would have family near. In 2008, we moved back to New Orleans and to my surprise a lot had changed. Rent was extremely higher than before. It made more sense to own rather than rent. I had to become a homeowner, there was no other choice. I found a job and started looking into housing programs that could help me.
At the beginning of this year, I heard about Habitat for Humanity. I started reading up about the program and the requirements to become a homeowner. I called and made an appointment to see if I qualified, and I did. I was overwhelmed with joy at the possibilities. From that day forward I said I would do whatever it takes for my daughter and me to have a place to call home.
Madisyn is 7 now and she always says that she wants a house with a backyard. There’s not a Sunday that goes by that I don’t sew a seed into me becoming a homeowner so that she can have her own backyard. God answered my prayers and in a few months we will have a place to call home and Madisyn will be running around playing in her very own backyard.
