Sylvia

An example of Dwell meeting our mission to provide affordable, quality homes where people flourish.
Sylvia is one of the most positive people we’ve met, despite recently facing serious illness.

Following a brain aneurysm while living in Australia, Sylvia returned to New Zealand in 2015 to continue her recovery, but struggled to find an affordable home. She moved into temporary accommodation at the Wellington Women’s House before moving into her one-bedroom Dwell home four years ago. She received support from both organisations during her transition into her long term home and Sylvia is happy to be settled.

“I love living here because it is secure. Due to the security features of the apartment block, people can’t walk in and out without a swipe card. That gives me real peace of mind.” “I’m so lucky my apartment is in the city centre with walkable access to the shops, the hospital, and church, where I love attending coffee groups. It has provided me with a much-needed refuge to come back to while I recover from my illness.”

“I love having a cosy space to invite my friends over and we catch up over coffee. My experience in this building has been wonderful; my neighbours often call in to see me and I have even been gifted orchids from a couple who live upstairs.”

Her son was also delighted to see his mum so happy and settled in a safe and welcoming environment.

“My son recently visited for the first time, and he loved my home, especially the security. He also couldn’t believe how well located I am to everything I need. He’s a bit of a worrier, but when he left he said he didn’t need to worry as he could see how I well I was doing.”

Sylvia’s home has allowed her to focus on her recovery and enabled her to achieve other goals. She has enrolled in a local computer course so she can master her computer, which was a present from her son.