By Bobby Kerlik
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Somali Bantu immigrant Abdikadir Muya took the hand of one of his five sons and walked into his new Sharpsburg home Saturday.
Muya received the refurbished house through Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh during a dedication ceremony yesterday — the last step of a two-year process.
"This is really an exciting day for me. I tried my best, worked hard and now I have a home," Muya, 32, said. "Thanks to all the volunteers in the community, organizations who donated and whoever spent time, money and energy."
The journey to their 10th Street home in Sharpsburg was long for Muya and his wife, Rukia Abdirahman. The two met in a refugee camp in Kenya after fleeing Somalia when a civil war broke out in 1991.
The couple spent 14 years in refugee camps before they were accepted into a United Nations refugee program that resettled the family in Pittsburgh in 2004. Muya had three sons then and two more have been born since arriving in Pittsburgh.
He didn't speak English at first, but he found jobs and a place to live.
Working several jobs — first as a cook for the Omni William Penn and now working security for Allied Barton Security Services — Muya and his family had been living in apartments in Lawrenceville for the past six years. His sons had attended Pittsburgh Public Schools but now will go to Fox Chapel Area schools.
"I have five boys. We needed a place with more bedrooms," Muya said, smiling.
The house was donated to Habitat for Humanity, and the group invested about $25,000 in renovating it. With that money and donations, the group upgraded existing bathrooms, installed new windows and a new roof and refurbished the kitchen.
Muya invested 350 hours of his own time working on his home and other Habitat projects as part of his obligation. The family must pay on a 30-year, interest-free mortgage through Habitat, which will cost about $300 per month.
The house was funded by 13 churches from the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh.
Muya said he has no plans of returning to his homeland.
"I have not been back and do not have any intention of going back," Muya said. "Pittsburgh is our home."
Source: PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW