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Listen "Episode #3: Building Sustainable Homes and Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: An Interview with Melody Ashley"
Episode Synopsis
In this episode, Tricia and I visited with Melody Ashley, founder of Casa Digna,Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to recycling used tires to construct new homes for single moms and vulnerable families in the local San Felipe area. We are treated to an afternoon on the patio of her tire home. She discusses her background in service to others and her education in waste management and how those things played an important role in her decision to tackle the issue of wasted tires and turning them into a plus for those in need of housing and a hand up out of poverty. She shares her reasons for coming to San Felipe and why she fell in love with the area and the people and why she chose to make the Ejido the location for her own tire home.
Note: We must apologize ahead of time for the sound quality in spots. The unexpected wind created a few technical difficulties that we had to accept and work around. In spite of those glitches, we hope you enjoy learning more about another transplant to our area.
Building Sustainable Homes and Breaking the Cycle of Poverty
Summary
Melody Ashley, founder of Casa Digna, shares her journey of constructing tire homes and providing housing to single mothers and vulnerable families. Casa Digna aims to create affordable and eco-friendly homes in the Sun Felipe community, addressing the housing needs of marginalized families.
Key Points
1. She pursued higher education in oceanography and visited San Felipe, Mexico, during her time at the University of San Diego.
2. Inspired by Dennis Weaver and a community in New Mexico, Melody combined her love for the environment and helping others to start Casa Diga.
3. The tire homes built by Casa Diga not only provide shelter but also contribute to cleaning up the tire waste in Mexicali.
4. Eligibility criteria for receiving a home include no criminal record, no property ownership, being drug-free, and completing at least 156 hours of work.
5. The tire construction process involves packing tires with red dirt as a foundation, stacking them like bricks, reinforcing with rebar, and creating a concrete roof beam for stability.
6. Future homes will have a smaller front porch and a larger back porch with laundry hookups.
7. Interested individuals can visit the Casa Digna website or contact them for a tour of the homes in San Felipe.
Best Quotes
1. "Maybe not so loca. Yeah. Maybe not So loca."
2. "We could not graduate unless we did so many hours of service work... Compassion And service."
3. "I wanted to build what I wanted without having to ask permission... I didn't want any rules, dues or fees."
4. "And at that time I said, I wanna do that someday... I just thought it was a great idea."
5. "There were over 10 million waste tires in Mexicali at that time in 2006."
6. "Originally I wanted to help single mothers... But they said, no, it's gotta be houses 'cause they'll never go for apartments."
7. "The trash. Don't dump your trash, put it where it's supposed to go."
Note: We must apologize ahead of time for the sound quality in spots. The unexpected wind created a few technical difficulties that we had to accept and work around. In spite of those glitches, we hope you enjoy learning more about another transplant to our area.
Building Sustainable Homes and Breaking the Cycle of Poverty
Summary
Melody Ashley, founder of Casa Digna, shares her journey of constructing tire homes and providing housing to single mothers and vulnerable families. Casa Digna aims to create affordable and eco-friendly homes in the Sun Felipe community, addressing the housing needs of marginalized families.
Key Points
1. She pursued higher education in oceanography and visited San Felipe, Mexico, during her time at the University of San Diego.
2. Inspired by Dennis Weaver and a community in New Mexico, Melody combined her love for the environment and helping others to start Casa Diga.
3. The tire homes built by Casa Diga not only provide shelter but also contribute to cleaning up the tire waste in Mexicali.
4. Eligibility criteria for receiving a home include no criminal record, no property ownership, being drug-free, and completing at least 156 hours of work.
5. The tire construction process involves packing tires with red dirt as a foundation, stacking them like bricks, reinforcing with rebar, and creating a concrete roof beam for stability.
6. Future homes will have a smaller front porch and a larger back porch with laundry hookups.
7. Interested individuals can visit the Casa Digna website or contact them for a tour of the homes in San Felipe.
Best Quotes
1. "Maybe not so loca. Yeah. Maybe not So loca."
2. "We could not graduate unless we did so many hours of service work... Compassion And service."
3. "I wanted to build what I wanted without having to ask permission... I didn't want any rules, dues or fees."
4. "And at that time I said, I wanna do that someday... I just thought it was a great idea."
5. "There were over 10 million waste tires in Mexicali at that time in 2006."
6. "Originally I wanted to help single mothers... But they said, no, it's gotta be houses 'cause they'll never go for apartments."
7. "The trash. Don't dump your trash, put it where it's supposed to go."
In God we trust