Love your neighbour as yourself

A story of hope from Ghana

Augustina outside her new home

The death of a loved one is always difficult, specially when they are taken at a young age.

But for Augustina Pomaah and her two children the death of her young husband was made all the more difficult because his passing also meant the loss of the family home.

The family had rented a room in Ghana's capital, Accra, until the very day her husband died.

Already stricken with grief, Augustina was horrified when the family from whom the room was being rented informed her only hours after her husband had died, that although the rental lease had not expired, she would need to move out of the room.

Augustina's protests were answered with a threat of court action and, unable to afford legal representation, she was forced to turn to her community to help her and the children.

Fortunately for Augustina one of her neighbours had recently moved into a Habitat for Humanity home. On seeing her grief and predicament the Habitat homepartner family not only let Augustina and the children stay in the family home but also contacted the local Habitat for Humanity group to see if they could help.

Two years later Augustina, 43, and her two children are now living in a safe, decent Habitat for Humanity home close to the family that had helped them in their hour of need.

Augustina will always be grateful to the family that came to her rescue - a living testament to Jesus' teaching "Love your neighbour as yourself ".

Experience of a volunteer in Africa and the Middle East

Read more about Habitat for Humanity's work in Ghana