Meet Lily

 

Lily was born in the Gihembe Refugee Camp in Rwanda after her family fled the Congo to escape violence. Even in the challenges of camp life, she grew up surrounded by resilience, community, and people finding ways to support one another.

At 16, Lily started a new life with her family members in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Some of Lily’s family had a chance to go to school, and Lily was able to start high school when she arrived in West Michigan.

Right after high school, Lily didn’t know if she wanted to go to college, so she sat down with family members for some ideas. She started at Central Michigan for Social Work, but did not feel like she had the support to finish, so she started working at a factory.

Lily’s connection to Treetops began through Angel, who introduced her to the women’s group. Today, Lily is proud to be a Concentric Leader of the Kinyarwanda-speaking community. Now she will be able to support other people, build trust, and help others navigate their own journey with confidence, dignity, love, and hope.

Outside of her work, Lily enjoys helping people, trying new things, traveling, staying active, and spending time with her family. Especially her nieces and nephews- they bring Lily so much joy!

Her hope is to share happiness, love, and support the community in meaningful ways.