Multicultural event raises awareness and funds for refugee housing in Utah county
Dec 10, 2022, 1:59 PM | Updated: 2:09 pm
PROVO, Utah — Congolese refugee Iragire Ndiyunguye has called Utah home for a year and a half. The 21-year-old fled the conflict in his home country to seek a better life.
“To leave everything you have, it was not easy for me,” Ndiyunguye said. “It was not easy in Congo, you know, there is fighting and we just had to run away from the country.”
Ndiyunguye was able to find housing and employment through non-profit Utah Valley Refugees. He also found a sense of community meeting other refugees through the organization.
“Even if you are not from the same country, even if you cannot speak the same language, you are going to see like these are good people,” Ndiyunguye said.
Friday night many cultures were on display through the non-profit’s multicultural activity at The Utah County Health and Justice Building in Provo. The event served as a fundraiser and awareness campaign to help shed light on the difficulties refugees have when resettling in a new country.
“Housing is an issue, with housing they often ask for credit checks, or even references about where you lived in the past,” Jenna Adams, director of community development for Utah Valley Refugees.
The organization is right now helping to house 32 families. The organization is still looking for community members to step up and house some of these refugees. If you are interested in doing so, perhaps offering up a rental property or a room to rent, go to their website UtahValleyRefugees.org to apply.
