It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood – a brand new, Charlotte, NC neighborhood built by our friends at Keystone Custom Homes! Their dedicated team, trusted trade partners, and resourceful suppliers gathered on a sunny, breezy day to celebrate the completion of their first Homes for HOPE Project in the region!
SOUTH ASIA - For Akash and Anika, the road to a safe home and healthy family has not been easy. They experienced shame and were mocked for their poor living conditions. Living in a small hut, all they had for a roof was a tarp that left them exposed to winds and heavy rains. They had to build fires to prepare meals for their family, and often could only find wet wood for cooking. “We used to live [in] a very filthy hut surrounded by rats and snakes for the past 12 years. We faced many struggles.” Grateful to find work laboring in a rock quarry in South Asia, this couple knows how hard life can be.
As I started my nonprofit career in NJ, I also worked as a residential land surveyor on the side to help make ends meet. My boss, Dave, was incredibly gifted at his job, but he had a short fuse. There were so many times as I was learning the trade that I would make mistakes, and he would get so frustrated he’d pack everything up, drive us back to the office, and we’d be done for the day. He was also colorblind, which added to the lore of my experience working with him.
In early February, a dynamic group of powerhouse women in the building industry, along with a few HOPE staff and I, had an unforgettable experience on the Homes for HOPE Trip. Visiting the incredible entrepreneurs we have the privilege of serving in the Dominican Republic was indescribable!
The 2024 International Builders' Show (IBS) was a wonderful experience for the entire Homes for HOPE Team. See the team's biggest takeaways from IBS 2024.
RWANDA - Having once struggled to feed his family on an inconsistent income, Faustin is now flourishing. As a welder, he took work as it came but dreamed of expanding his business. His family was known as a poor family in their community when he was introduced to Urwego (HOPE’s microfinance institution in Rwanda) in 2012.
Have you ever been rejected because of something you believe? Or looked down upon because of your faith?
As a Christian woman in South Asia,* that’s Farah’s* daily experience.
By God’s grace and through His favor, 2023 was an incredible year for Homes for HOPE. God deserves all the glory for everything we’re rejoicing in as we enter 2024. The following are some highlights from a year unlike any other. But before we get to them, we don’t want to go any further without thanking our incredible partners. Without your multi-faceted investment in this mission, none of this would’ve been possible. Thank you for serving alongside Homes for HOPE in 2023!
At 13, Eric Jeche values going to school with other students in his neighborhood in Zimbabwe. Unlike many of his peers, Eric pays for his own education.
Eric has lived with his grandmother since he lost his parents at a young age. But it’s not easy for his grandmother to pay for his school fees on top of their food, clothing, and other daily expenses, so Eric understands the value of money and work.
In October 2022, I was visiting The Dominican Republic on a Homes for HOPE Vision Trip to meet some of the incredible people HOPE has the privilege of serving in that beautiful country. I was inspired when I met Oleida who started out with a loan of $140 to open a convenience store more than a decade ago.
