WHAT: Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley dedicates a new home to a refugee family from Tanzania, its 108th Habitat for Humanity family
WHEN: Saturday, July 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: 1393 E 8th St, Bethlehem, PA
Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley will dedicate a ‘Habitat Hill’ Bethlehem home on July 25th at 10 a.m. to a hard-working family of seven, moving first from a refugee camp in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to a refugee camp in Tanzania before coming to the United States.
For 24 years, starting in 1972, Ashimu Ntawugiheza lived as a refugee in Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “In Zaire, refugees had freedom to do anything. Personally, my life wasn’t that bad. I lived a simple life. Like others, I worked so my family could get something to eat for the day. However, everything changed when I moved to Tanzania in 1997. Compared to life in Zaire, life in Tanzania was hard. In Tanzania, nobody was allowed to leave the camp without permission from the leader. Even though we were not allowed to leave the camp, it did not stop me from working for my family. It actually pushed me to work harder. I opened a small business where I sold clothes and shoes. That small business helped me to keep my family away from hunger.” On August 14, 2008, Ashimu and his family came to the United States. Currently, Ashimu is employed by the Sands Casino and his wife Asha is employed by Crothall Healthcare, Inc. Ashimu and Asha’s two oldest children attend Northampton Community College, while their daughter will be entering her senior year of high school and the two youngest are in middle school and elementary school.
For the Ntawugiheza family, this house means a permanent home close to other family members. For Asha, this house means she will be living right across the street from her brother, who has been a Habitat Lehigh Valley homeowner since October 2012.
The Ntawugiheza’s new Habitat home was built and funded by three faith partners who are Habitat Lehigh Valley’s Faith Builders: First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, Church of the Nativity, and Bethlehem Area Moravians. The Faith Builders first met in May 2013 to discern and begin planning on a way to collaboratively work towards reducing the affordable housing deficit and partnering with Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley. Together, the Faith Builders fully sponsored this home and have contributed over 3,000 hours of volunteer labor towards it. “It took a team effort to get here. We did it! It’s now time for this house to become a home,” says Shannon Cawley of First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem.
About Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley Habitat for Humanity’s mission is to provide affordable housing for hardworking low-income families. Homeowners commit to 250 hours of “sweat equity” to be eligible for a Habitat home. Partner families repay a no-interest mortgage as part of Habitat’s philosophy of giving potential homeowners a “hand up” instead of a “hand out.” Since 1989, Habitat has built and renovated over 100 homes in the Lehigh Valley and has dedicated its 100th home last year. Contact Habitat Lehigh Valley at 610-776-7737 for additional information or explore its initiatives by visiting the website at http://www.habitatlv.org/.
Press ReleaseBy:
Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley contact:
Debrah Cummins, Executive Director
deb@habitatlv.org
