06-05-2025
Habitat for Humanity helps East African family build a new beginning in Abilene
ABILENE, Texas () — After earning an opportunity through the Green Card Lottery program, a family from Eastern Africa secured a home with the help of Habitat for Humanity.
For some, opportunities for betterment don't come as easily as it does for others. That is part of the reason Habitat for Humanity's mission is to build homes, communities and hope for those underprivileged individuals. Just one of the examples of the program's success can be found in the home of Feston Manirakiza. He and his family are from the East African country of Burundi and got the opportunity to come to America as Green Card Lottery winners.
The Green Card Lottery is a U.S. government program that randomly selects individuals from around the world to become legal permanent residents. This program aims to diversify the immigrant population by offering 55,000 visas annually to those from countries with low immigration rates to the United States.
76-year-old Abilenian spends 30 years volunteering for Habitat for Humanity
After coming to the United States, Manirakiza and his family were able to qualify for Habitat for Humanity's home program, which speaks to how the organization gives opportunities to those in similar situations of need.
'Habitat for Humanity gives hope to the hopeless people. I like that. Habitat employees, Habitat.. the volunteers, they gather here. They say Bless the house. Yeah, that's a good memory. A good memory,' Manirakiza said.
Manirakiza now works at Hendrick Medical as a CNA, and his two oldest children are attending college. He says Habitat for Humanity played a large part in giving his family hope and a whole new realm of opportunities that they did not have back in Burundi, Africa.
'People back there are really suffering. You can work, but you can't get enough money to raise your kids, to feed your family. Opportunities to take care of our kids, to go to school, to have a better life. Consider or compare to the one left behind,' Manirakiza explained.
Planning underway for 'Spanish Arms' lot to become affordable housing
Feston went on to say that his neighborhood is filled with individuals like him who have also received this opportunity from Habitat for Humanity. He mentioned that knowing his neighbors share a similar background helps strengthen the community.
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