Our Founders

Who is behind Safe Refuge Youth Homes?

Batur and Melody Habibulayev are longtime humanitarian aid workers who worked in Kazakhstan (Batur’s home country) for over seventeen years. Their projects included heading up food donation programs to villages, widows, and families struggling with the loss of employment. In addition, they worked closely with a group of children in an orphanage in the city of Almaty for over seven years to provide their classroom with everything necessary for their education and wellbeing

Our story…

Moving back to Canada in 2014, Batur and Melody saw a need to give a home atmosphere to young people in their community having troubles at home. As their two children moved through high school in Leduc, Alberta, this need only grow. Over the years, they opened up their home to many young people (some coming back again and again) for a supper, a night, a weekend, or even weeks or months. The reasons these young people needed a place to stay were unique and varied. Some felt they needed to step away from their house for a few hours to let tempers cool or the pressure subside. For others, returning home was not an option because doing so could threaten their safety or wellbeing. Batur and Melody decided to create a lasting and permanent solution for these young people in need, and Safe Refuge Youth Homes of Canada Inc. was born.

What we’re up to now…

Melody and Batur are working tirelessly to secure a space in Leduc County to transform into a home atmosphere for youth in the community. Batur and Melody Habibulayev have been married for almost 23 years and are parents to two amazing people, their daughter Keturah and their son Musajan. Having lived and served people in various ways in both Kazakhstan and Canada, they desire to continue working to better the lives of the people in their community.