Habitat for Humanity

The Catholic Build

This year's reciient family of our 2018 build: Abdirizak Qalib and Deqa Farah & Family

Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in approximately 70 countries. Habitat’s vision is of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.

Habitat works toward our vision by building strength, stability and self-reliance in partnership with families in need of decent and affordable housing. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage.

This year, the Cathedral of the Incarnation is proud to sponsor Abdirizak Qalib & Deqa Farah and family.

Abdirizak (Abdi) Qalib and Deqa Farah are the parents of four boys ages: 7, 5, 3, and 1. Abdi (ob-dee) currently works for Walmart and as a substitute teacher for a local charter school. He previously worked as an Arabic and Somali interpreter for a non-profit refugee resettlement organization but was laid off when the number of new refugees coming to Nashville slowed down. He continues to volunteer as an interpreter with Catholic Charities. Abdi has also served as an Arabic substitute teacher at Nashville International Academy. Deqa (deckah) recently joined the workforce as a housekeeper at Saint Thomas Hospital and enjoys contributing to her family’s income.

Abdi and Deqa currently live in a two-bedroom apartment in south Nashville. Their current apartment has high rent and is overcrowded. Additionally, they say they have a problem with cockroaches that their landlord has not resolved, and the neighbors are not tolerant of the noise that their children make. Abdi and Deqa applied for the Habitat for Humanity homeownership program because they need a stable monthly housing payment and space that their children can play in without disturbing others.

Abdi and Deqa are originally from Somalia. After the civil war erupted in Somalia, Abdi escaped to Malaysia where he earned his master’s degree and doctor of philosophy in Arabic. In 2010, Abdi served as an adjunct professor at Prince of Songkla University in Thailand. In 2012, he served as an adjunct professor and deputy director for International Student Affairs at INSANIAH University College in Malaysia.

Please consider being part of this build. There are several ways you can contribute: if you are a COTI parishioner, feel free to sign up for the build on either Oct 20 or Oct 21. You may also sign up to bring food to support our volunteers working on the build. Contributing financially to the build is also appreciated by anyone! Our goal is $20,000 for this particular project.

Workers on the build will meet at 7AM each morning to be shuttled to the work site. A continental breakfast and full lunch will be provided. We will work until 3PM both days and then be shuttled back to our vehicles. The build will take place rain or shine so please plan accordingly. Hard hats will be provided but please wear work-site appropriate shoes.

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