Hakuna Matata's Founder: Brother Epapy
Hi! I am the founder of Hakuna Matata, my name is Brother Mtombwe. I am very passionate about people and the community around me. A big contributor is my background and where I come from.
A little bit about me, I was born in Congo. At the age of 1 my family was forced to flee congo to escape war and poverty. Although I was too young to remember the horrific conditions, my family does and due to the lack of healthcare and violence, many family members and neighbors lost their lives before we were able to make it to a refugee camp in Tanzania called Nyarugusu. Growing up in this camp in Tanzania is the only thing that I remember. At this camp life was by no means easy. Due to the lack of supplies and fresh water we only had one meal a day. That meal was provided by the United Nations through the World Food Program and consisted of corn flour, beans and oil. In the refugee camp the homes were made of mud. This mud washed away during heavy rainfall leaving many without homes, or a place to stay dry. Due to the lack of school supplies, education was not feasible, mothers and fathers could not support their families which not only took a toll on physical health, it also took a toll on many people's mental health. |
After some time at Nyarugusu, I got separated from my family and transferred to another refugee camp. At this refugee camp conditions were slightly better, but there was still a dismal existence. Then in 2014 after many years of refugee camps, paperwork, and prayers my name finally came up to be released from refugee camps. From there I flew to what I am proud to call home today, Spokane, Washington.
My story is like many other refugee stories, and like those still living in these countries, but the one difference is I had the opportunity to go to a new country to have the chance to build a life and a career. With this opportunity, I want to help those in need and give back to those who are less fortunate. That is why I took a trip back to the same refugee camp that I grew up in and called home for many years.
My story is like many other refugee stories, and like those still living in these countries, but the one difference is I had the opportunity to go to a new country to have the chance to build a life and a career. With this opportunity, I want to help those in need and give back to those who are less fortunate. That is why I took a trip back to the same refugee camp that I grew up in and called home for many years.