Kenan-Flagler builds house for UNC family

Yoe Moo spent about 20 years in refugee camps in Thailand, but found a new home in the United States four years ago.

Soon, the UNC housekeeper’s home will become a house, courtesy of the Kenan-Flagler Business School and Habitat for Humanity of Orange County.

Since 2005, the business school has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to provide homes for a low-income families in the county.

This year, it is using the California-based company, Hatch My House, to raise money for a new house for the Moo family.

This is the first time Hatch My House — which is often used as an alternative to wedding registries — has been used as a fundraiser.

Santhia Muthusamy, president of the Student Habitat Committee at Kenan-Flagler, said construction on the house began in August and is expected to be completed by December.

Moo works at the Smith Center as a housekeeper and lives in an apartment in Carrboro with his wife and three sons.

“For our family, I am very happy to get a Habitat home,” Moo said.

He said when he and his wife lived in Burma, political unrest led them to flee to refugee camps in Thailand.

“We needed to stay in the camps,” Moo said. “If we went outside to find a job, the police would catch us.”

Moo wanted his family to have the freedom they didn’t have in the refugee camps, so they came to the United States.

“When we arrived here, we could go anywhere,” Moo said.

“We don’t need to stay in a camp.”

Moo said his sons are excited to have their own rooms in their new home, and they are happy to have the students from the business school helping to build their house.

Muthusamy said they hope to raise $50,000 for the house.

She said business school students arrange fundraisers and volunteer at the construction site.

This year, people outside of the business school can also contribute through Hatch My House.

CEO

About 800 couples have used Hatch My House since its December 2009 launch, he said.

MacEwen said he hopes the website will help Kenan-Flagler meet its fundraising goal of $50,000 — which will pay for parts of the house, including windows and roofing.

And Moo said he can’t wait for the house to be completed.

“I am so very happy they’re building my house,” Moo said. “My house is nearly finished, and I know they worked hard.”

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