Formerly homeless mothers and children were overjoyed to get a roof over their heads last weekend after they moved into newly renovated apartments in Devonshire.

A spokeswoman for Habitat for Humanity Bermuda, which restored the apartments with the support of an anonymous donor, said the two mothers were “ecstatic” about the units.

“The two-apartment project was phase one of a four-apartment complex, designed to accommodate families graduating from the Transformational Living Centre, also a project funded and built by Habitat for Humanity,” the spokeswoman said.

“The Transformational Living Centre was established two years ago to provide accommodation for ten formerly homeless mothers and children, giving them two years to heal from the trauma of homelessness and secure a source of revenue to sustain themselves in the broader housing market.”

The spokeswoman said that while the women had graduated the programme and had steady employment, there remained a struggle to find affordable accommodations.

Sheelagh Cooper, the Habitat for Humanity chairwoman, said: “It became clear to us that in order to find something affordable, we would have to create it ourselves and subsidise it.

“This is where our anonymous donor came in.”

The spokeswoman said the donor family purchased a derelict property in Devonshire specifically for Habitat to renovate it and create apartments for families.

“Work will begin shortly on phase two of the project, which will provide for two more families,” she added.

“Habitat is already putting the word out for others who may own derelict properties that could be rehabilitated by Habitat and rented affordably for a fixed number of years and revert to the owners as a viable dwelling.”