How tradie bought mum house after moving to Australia as refugee

• Peri Ndakize saved enough to buy a house
• He bought home for his mother and brothers
• Determined tradie saved $50k in just 18 months
• His family moved from Congo to Australia in 2016 

A brave refugee who defied all the odds and bought his mum a house at the age of 20 has revealed the secrets to his success and the moment he realised he needed to help her out.

Peri Ndakize, 20, was recently approved for a home in the town of Wodonga, about 300km northeast of Melbourne, on the NSW-Victorian border.

He bought the house to repay his mother for making the ultimate sacrifice when she moved him and his brothers from Congo to Australia.

In 2016, Esperance Ndakize left Central Africa in search of a better for his family, leaving her parents and loved ones behind.

Mr Ndakize said he was motivated to buy his single mother a home after he saw her desperation over finding a job with her limited English.

The family spent two weeks in Townsville, Queensland, before settling in the Victorian town of Wodonga, where they remain today.

The 20-year-old told Daily Mail Australia the move from Congo had been tough.

‘It was pretty hard for us because none of us could speak English,’ he said.

‘I could only speak a tiny bit of English, things like hi and how are you, but the rest I couldn’t understand.’

Mr Ndakize was able to learn English at school, but his mother still struggled.

‘To be honest, it was tough. I watched Mum go for hundreds of jobs, and I could see in her eyes how frustrated and hopeless she was,’ he said.

‘I saw that look, and I wanted to help.’

Mr Ndakize decided he would work two jobs, six days a week, to save $50,000 for a deposit on a three-bedroom home in Wodonga.

He would often work 12-hour days, working from 7am to 3pm at a recycling company before starting his side hustle from 3pm to 7pm at night.

Mr Ndakize worked six days a week, working from 7am to 4pm most Saturdays and spending his Sundays attending church and seeing family.

When he was just 18, the aspiring tradesman purchased a ute and trailer and started advertising for removalist jobs in his area.

The business proved to be a major success, and he was booked out months in advance.

Mr Ndakize said he would sometimes compare himself to other teenagers.

‘Back when I was going to school and then starting work at my removalist business I would see other kids just going home and relaxing,’ he said.

‘But I had a vision, if you’ve got a vision nothing can stop you.’

Peri Ndakiz’s secrets to success 

1. Be different. Don’t fall for what other people do. Think of a side hustle that is unique to you and your skills. 

2. Focus on your own goals and work hard. Try to wake up positive. 

3. Focus on your money and what you spend. Keep a paper trail of your receipts if that helps you track your spending.

4. Watch motivational videos. I watched videos from Steve Harvey, Meek Mill and Tyrese Gibson. Choose a song that motivates you, that you can play in the car on the way to work. Mine is ‘Hall of Fame’ by The Script.

See also  NRL contract news: Fletcher Baker inks deal with Brisbane Broncos

5. Remind yourself you’re doing great. 

Mr Ndakize said he was strict with his money, and when he did splash some cash it was on work supplies like ladders or a power tool. 

He kept all his receipts and kept a paper trail of his ingoings and outgoings.

‘I needed to focus on saving the money. I would think about the money and how I used it. Instead on spending it on something fancy I would invest it,’ he said. 

‘Clothes, jewellery, that fancy stuff isn’t me. I would buy something like power tools or a ladder, something that would be important in the future. 

‘You wouldn’t see me in any other clothes but my work gear.’

On Mother’s Day, Mr Ndakize presented his mother with her very own home. 

He took his mother for a tour of the property, pretending his friend was interested in buying the home before revealing it was already hers. 

‘I said guess what, this is yours. She was very happy. She didn’t believe me at first but I told her “you have to trust me”.’

Mr Ndakize said the smile on his mothers face had made it worth all the tough times and all the hard work he put in.

‘When I saw her smile I felt happy in my heart and proud of myself. I’m grateful for my journey and my big achievement,’ he said.

He had kept his money-saving mission a secret from his mother and brothers for almost two years and said it felt good to get it out.

‘No one knew what I was doing, they were all confused and didn’t know what I was working for. 

‘At dinner time my mum would say to us, how are we going to get a house, everyone is buying a house now, but I kept it to myself,’ he said. 

His grandmother called from Congo and sent her grandson ‘kisses down the phone’.

Mr Ndakize will help his family move in on May 29. 

Now that he has secured his mother permanent housing, he is chasing his own goals of moving out and pursuing a trade.

Agent Lexley Sewell, from First National Real Estate, told Daily Mail Australia said Mr Ndakzie is the youngest person she has ever shown a home to. 

She took the 20-year-old and his mother through the home back in January.  

‘He was a lovely kid, really hard working. I was talking to him about how you go about it and he rings me a little later on and puts an offer in for the house,’ she said. 

‘When it initially fell through I felt really disappointed for him, but luckily the broker got it through. It means the family can stop renting. 

‘I was there when he brought his mum through and told her it was hers. She dropped to her knees and was just saying “thank you, thank you”. 

‘The home is perfect for young families, it’s low maintenance and close to the shops. It has three bedrooms and two living rooms.

‘His mum will have her own room and ensuite.’