Pua Akiyoshi: A dream in progress
For Ruth Pualani “Pua” Akioyshi, owning a home has been a life-long dream. “When I was a kid, I didn’t have plans to get married. My plan was to get a house. I mean, that’s all I wanted to do, get a house.”
After years of diligent preparation and planning to make this dream a reality, the time for Pua to begin building her home has finally come.
Last Friday, surrounded by her family, close friends and the Habitat community, Pua commemorated the start of her home build. A Ground Blessing Ceremony was held on Puha Street, where the 2-bedroom home will be constructed this spring.
The blessing was conducted by her sister, Kahu Lani Kapuniai.
“Our mother’s ohana is from Waimanalo,” shared Kahu Lani on the morning of the ceremony, “and it has always been my sister’s dream to return here.”
“For land in Hawaii is scarce. And we are so privileged to have a small part of it. Ke akua, help us to nourish and be good stewards of all you have given us. Help us continue to be a blessing upon one another. Help us love on another. Help us to know how precious every moment is.”
Full circle
Born and raised on Oahu, Pua moved around a lot as a kid. Though she enjoyed her different homes and the people she met, Waimanalo always held a special place in her heart growing up. It was at a local elementary school in Waimanalo that Pua first learned of Habitat. Decades later, her journey would lead her back to Waimanalo, and back to Habitat.
Pua began working as soon as she was old enough. It was at one of her first jobs that she met her husband, Wesley. They were married in 1991 and began their life together. For Pua and Wesley, like so many others in Hawaii, homeownership felt out of reach. For decades, they rented an apartment in town and dreamed of the day they would have a place to call their own.
In August 2019, Pua got the call she’d always hoped for: she’d been awarded a land lot through the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL).
“I was like 100-something on the list,” recalled Pua, “and there were only fifteen lots. One-five. And I got picked.”
Heartbreakingly, Wesley had died just days before news of the award.
“When I got that call I started crying, because my husband had just passed away the week before. I wanted this journey to be with him. And he is with me, but not physically.”
I wanted this journey to be with him. And he is with me, but not physically.
Determined to carry on their shared dream, Pua partnered with Honolulu Habitat in 2019 to build a place to call home. After being accepted into the Home Build program, Pua began putting in hours of sweat equity, helping build other family’s homes and volunteering in ReStore. After experiencing unexpected delays with COVID and construction timelines, the time to build her home has finally come.
ALL PHOTOS BY MISHA ROSS.
VIEW FULL GALLERY HERE.
History in the making
This Spring, Pua’s home will make history as the first female-owned Habitat home to be entirely constructed by wahine volunteers.
Beginning on April 27, hundreds of women volunteers will come together in Waimanalo as part of Habitat’s second annual Wahine Build – an annual program to mobilize, educate and empower women to build affordable homes. Over the course of 12 weeks, over 200 women will help build Pua’s Habitat home.
Our work is only possible because of the many hands and hearts that support our work. Mahalo for making Pua’s dream of homeownership a reality.
Make a gift in honor of Pua Akiyoshi today.
