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Habitat for Humanity to help Afghans build house Real estate company donates $60,000 Denise Oshodi
The Idaho Statesman | Edition Date: 02-16-2005An Afghan family reunited in Boise is dreaming of the day they can set foot in their new home off Pierce Park Lane and Elmer Street.
Habitat for Humanity and Keller Williams Realty of Boise partnered to help the family build a house in Boise.
"I'm tired of moving a lot," Safea Razaee said in Farsi translated by her daughter. "If I have my  own house, I will have my own life. I will have nothing to worry about." The last time the Razaees lived in their own house was in 1993, when trouble started with the Taliban in their Afghan neighborhood. Husseyn Razaee, 53, was an officer in the Afghan army and had to escape the country. He eventually went to Azerbaijan in 1999 and then to Boise in 2000. He was separated from his family for about four years. Husseyn Razaee finally reunited with his wife and four children in June 2003. He moved out of a two-bedroom apartment in Boise, where he had a roommate, and into his current three-bedroom apartment with his six-member family. Once he had his family together again, he wanted to buy a house for everyone. He spoke with them about it, and they grew eager.
Husseyn Razaee learned by chance about Habitat for Humanity. Razaee found one of his daughter's books in their apartment and picked it up and discovered an article on the national organization, which helps Ada County residents living in substandard housing build their own homes.
The Razaees applied to Habitat for Humanity and were accepted. But after six months of waiting, Husseyn told his wife, "Safea, maybe they forgot about us." The family thought their house would be finished "very fast," said Husseyn Razaee. The family just didn't understand how the process worked, he said. Habitat for Humanity had to work out details such as financing for several months. "Once again," Husseyn Razaee said, "we find the hope." Their house is the last of a small Habitat for Humanity subdivision on Elmer Street, in North Boise. The 1,200-square-foot, one-story house will have four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Construction on the home is set to begin March 5.
Keller Williams donated $60,000 of the total $105,000 costs. The family has to pitch in 500 man-hours for Habitat for Humanity as part of their deal. They'll also pay back housing costs over time, but not interest, said Ken Nichols, executive director for the Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity. The family has many hopes for their new home. Safea Razaee, 39, wants to settle down. She and the couple's four children have moved from Afghanistan to Pakistan to Iran to Boise, shifting living arrangements to survive.
Sossan Razaee, 17, wants to fix up her new home with nice things. She says she's saving up money to buy new furniture. Her next-younger sister, Saida, calls her "old-fashioned" for caring so much about neatness and matching home decor.
Saida Razaee, 16, wants a place to entertain family during her high school graduation celebration this year. Keller Williams Realty Boise Building homes - March 5, 2005 Click Here to Donate! Habitat For Humanity Workday! - May 15th 2004 Habitat For Humanity Web Site - Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity Idaho Habitat for Humanity Affiliates Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian housing organization.
We welcome all people to join us as we build simple, decent, affordable houses in partnership with those who lack adequate shelter.
Since 1976, Habitat has built more than 175, 000 houses, providing shelter for nearly 900,000 people worldwide. Now at work in 100 countries, we are building a house every 26 minutes. By 2005, Habitat houses will be sheltering 1 million people.
Local Habitat affiliates coordinate house building and select partner families.
Habitat houses are purchased by the homeowner families. Three factors make the houses affordable to low-income people worldwide:
- Houses are sold at no profit, with no interest
charged on the mortgage - Homeowners and volunteers build the houses
under trained supervision - Individuals, corporations, faith groups and others
provide financial support
Homeowner families are chosen according to their need; their ability to repay the no-profit, no-interest mortgage; and their willingness to work in partnership with Habitat. Habitat for Humanity does not discriminate according to race, religion or ethnic group.
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