WHEN:<\/strong> Saturday, July 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.<\/p>\n WHERE<\/strong>: 1393 E 8th<\/sup> St, Bethlehem, PA<\/p>\n Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley will dedicate a \u2018Habitat Hill\u2019 Bethlehem home on July 25th<\/sup> 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.<\/p>\n For 24 years, starting in 1972, Ashimu Ntawugiheza lived as a refugee in Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. \u201cIn Zaire, refugees had freedom to do anything. Personally, my life wasn\u2019t 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.\u201d 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The Ntawugiheza\u2019s new Habitat home was built and funded by three faith partners who are Habitat Lehigh Valley\u2019s 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. \u201cIt took a team effort to get here. We did it! It’s now time for this house to become a home,\u201d says Shannon Cawley of First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem.<\/p>\n About Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley<\/strong> Habitat for Humanity\u2019s mission is to provide affordable housing for hardworking low-income families. Homeowners commit to 250 hours of \u201csweat equity\u201d to be eligible for a Habitat home. Partner families repay a no-interest mortgage as part of Habitat\u2019s philosophy of giving potential homeowners a \u201chand up\u201d instead of a \u201chand out.\u201d Since 1989, Habitat has built and renovated over 100 homes in the Lehigh Valley and has dedicated its 100th<\/sup> 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\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n Press ReleaseBy: <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nHabitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley contact:
\nDebrah Cummins, Executive Director
\ndeb@habitatlv.org<\/a><\/p>\n
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