Editor’s note: Hamissi Mamba will be a featured speaker at BridgeDetroit’s Refugee Resources Fair on Oct. 16, 2024. If you’d like to attend, please RSVP here.
In Burundi, where I grew up, we call everyone our parents’ age “auntie” or “uncle.” It’s a sign of respect and love. When my twin daughters, Kenza and Dieze, were born in Detroit, they had many aunties and uncles right away. Their fellow refugees and asylum-seekers at Freedom House became their American family — and we still think of them in this way.
Fleeing political violence in Burundi, my wife Nadia Nijimbere came to Detroit in 2013 alone. She did not know anyone and was in a new country. Three months into her journey, she found out she was pregnant — with twins. I was still in Burundi, trying to get a visa. I couldn’t be with her. But at Freedom House, she wasn’t alone for long. Everyone welcomed her, helped her learn English, and showed her how things work here. They became her family.
Freedom House is a non-profit in Detroit that has provided safe housing and support to refugees and asylum-seekers for more than 40 years.
When I finally arrived in Detroit in 2015, Nadia had just moved into an apartment. While we lived there, I went to Freedom House every day. They offered me language classes, counseling and showed me around Detroit. They helped me learn about American culture and integrate into this new society.
At that time, Detroit was still rebuilding from bankruptcy. There were not many jobs, and we wondered if we should move to another city. But Freedom House believed in us and in Detroit. They started job programs with local businesses like Henry Ford Hospital, Shinola and the airport. These places began hiring people from Freedom House. Volunteers helped us connect with the community. Without their support, we would have felt lost.
Two volunteers became very special to us: Marcia and “Mama” Cheryl. Mama Cheryl was always there when we needed her. Even now, if someone from Freedom House has a problem or good news, she’s the first person we call. Marcia helped us start our restaurant, Baobab Fare. She told people about us and became one of our biggest supporters. Today, she helps fulfill orders for Soko, our line of East African-inspired retail products, and tends to all the beautiful flowers that decorate our restaurant. We are blessed to call both of these long-time Freedom House volunteers our family.
Starting life here was scary. We didn’t know where to begin or how to do things. Simple things, like being stopped by the police, made us nervous. But with the Freedom House community in our corner, we always had someone to call and turn to for advice.
Freedom House was more than just a place to stay; it was our home. When the church they were renting space from sold, the organization moved to a new building that didn’t have a proper kitchen. As more refugees came to be supported by Freedom House — growing from 35 to nearly 100 residents — the need for a real kitchen became clear. We know how important food and cooking are for bringing people together and keeping a connection to our roots. So we started raising money to build a new kitchen. But with the number of residents growing, now we are hoping to develop a brand new building with a kitchen inside. We’ve raised $1.25 million so far, but we still need more to reach our goal of $1.7 million. (You can read more about the initiative and donate at spot.fund/6mv3jcp.)
Even though Freedom House has been in Detroit for over 40 years, many people don’t know about it. We hope to change that. We encourage more people to volunteer and connect with the many newcomers who find safety there.
Now with our successful and growing restaurant Baobab Fare, we hire people from Freedom House. We know how hard it is to get that first job in a new country. By giving them a chance, we help them gain confidence and experience. We feel it’s our way to give back.
We also want new arrivals to see the good things about Detroit. Some think they need to go to big cities like New York or Dallas to find success. But Detroit is a great place to start. Life here is still affordable, and there’s a strong community. The American dream they’re looking for is right here.
If not for Freedom House, we might not have stayed in Detroit. They gave us guidance and a sense of belonging. Our daughters grew up surrounded by love, not afraid of people. Before the pandemic, we visited Freedom House every week with our girls. There’s some people who take their kids to their grandparents’ house for family visits; we take our girls to Freedom House.
Freedom House is where our American story began. It gave us the foundation to build our lives and our businesses. For us, and many others, Freedom House is essential. It offers support and community to those who arrive with only dreams.
We invite you to learn about Freedom House, to volunteer, and to help close the gap between this wonderful place and the city it serves. Together, we can make sure Freedom House continues to be a place of hope and new beginnings for those who need it most — so that success stories like ours become more common in this amazing land of opportunity.
Hamissi Mamba is co-owner of Baobab Fare, a James Beard Award finalist this year and a semi-finalist for three years, who came to Detroit to escape political violence in Burundi. He now works to help other refugees find jobs and services in the city as they start their new lives.