In celebration of our 40th Anniversary and with the generosity of Mackenzie Scott, our Global Engagement Committee recommended a special tithe to three countries also celebrating 40th anniversaries. The Board of Directors approved wholeheartedly and we sent tithe funds to Habitat for Humanity in Kenya, Uganda, and India in 2023.

A $5,000 gift to Habitat India sponsored a single house there. A $35,000 tithe to Habitat Uganda supported the construction of five homes, as part of their 40th Anniversary campaign.

In Kenya, our gift of $35,000 sponsored 5 of 40 homes built for the most vulnerable, low-income families as part of their the 40@40 campaign. As a tithe partner, Asheville Habitat was invited to participate in a Kenya Tithe Champions Learning Trip. Communications Director, 17- year AAHH staffer, and the staff lead on the Global Engagement Committee, Ariane Kjellquist, represented Asheville Habitat on that trip.

Representatives from U.S. affiliates, Habitat for Humanity Int’l, and other East African countries including Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia comprised the team. The team visited Habitat communities, a job training center, a water project site, and an informal settlement. They met with homeowners, community activists, and an elected official, and they spent a day working on a jobsite. “From innovative building materials and job training programs, to community-based advocacy work in informal settlements and the installation of community water projects, Kenya’s work is inspiring and I am thrilled that AAHH is a partner in this transformational work,” said Kjellquist.