Refugees from Somalia, Rashid Makonnen and his family of nine ended up in a shelter in Seattle. Far from home and everything they knew and understood, the Makonnen family was determined to make a new life in their new country. Although they had fled with only a few personal belongings, they were determined to one day have their very own home.
Recommended by a shelter as good candidates for The Homelessness Project, Rashid and his family underwent the THP screening process with a great sense of hope. Once accepted into the program their case manager helped them through their 18 months of transition, counseling them as needed, helping them navigate the confusing American social service system and working with the family to set a budget, start a savings plan and begin preparing for the future.
Their THP case manager was impressed by the family’s determination to establish roots in their new country. She put them in touch with Habitat for Humanity as they seemed like ideal candidates to work toward owning their own home. After putting in more than 500 hours of “sweat equity,” Rashid and his family were able to move into – and purchase – the home they helped build. It was a dream come true for all of them.
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