Much to Celebrate, More to Build

Habitat celebrates sheltering 1 million people around the world with the dedication of its 200,000th house.

Volunteers, Habitat staff, family and friends joined the Kouassi-Harper family in front of their new home Monday morning as Jack Kemp, chairman of Habitat’s More than Houses campaign, presented the Kouassi-Harper family with the key to their home. The celebration included special messages from Habitat CEO Jonathan Reckford and Knoxville HFH executive director Kelle Shultz.

After receiving the key, Koffi and Tonya and their children began moving into their new home. When eight-year-old twins N’dah and Ayah crossed the threshhold, the total number of people sheltered in Habitat homes worldwide reached one million.

Homeownership was something the family thought impossible just a short time ago, but thanks to the hard work of a group of dedicated volunteers from around the world, the Kouassi-Harper family has been able to realize their dream.

“Thank you,” Tonya says, “for making an impossible dream possible.”

• Find out how it’s all ‘hitting home’ for the 200,000th family
• Read about international youth’s involvement
• Learn how corporate sponsors impacted the build

Just 24 minutes after the Kouassi-Harper family received the key to their new home, the owners of the 200,001st Habitat house — built last week in Kanyakumari, India — were presented with their key. Michel and his wife Vivitha will live in the 200,001st house with their four children.

Michel and Vivitha’s house was destroyed by the Dec. 26 tsunami and they had little hope of rebuilding until they learned about Habitat’s program. “With our low income, it is unimaginable to have a new house, so this is great,” says Vivitha. “I can’t believe this is happening to us.”

Michel and Vivitha celebrated with four other families who also dedicated houses in Kanyakumari on Monday.