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HIRLEEN WARUI LEFT HER NATIVE Kenya in pursuit of the American Dream, choosing Maricopa for its affordable housing and warm
temperatures. But she stayed for the overwhelming spirit of community she found. “The Maricopa community has demon- strated a strong sense of solidarity and the genuine significance of the phrase, ‘It takes a village,’" said Warui, a registered nurse who moved to Desert Passage in 2016. She recalls the story of a Kenyan elder visiting family in Maricopa. While on a bicycle ride, Warui said, he became lost because in his eyes “all the houses had the same designs.” “When I say the city came together, it did,” she said. “We posted a missing person (sign), we had search parties on foot, in cars, and even using drones to find him.” A neighbor found him safe and helped him return to his loved ones. It was then, Warui said, “We felt the affection as the Kenyan community in Maricopa, and we are grateful.” Such a unifying event might be called harambee in Kenya, which “signifies the spirit of cooperation or pulling together,” said Warui. While harambee sweetens the lives of many Kenyans in Maricopa, according to Warui, it was the skyrocketing cost of housing in major cities that drew Warui and her husband, Samuel, to town. They have two daughters, ages 6 and 4. Samuel Warui is a production machine operator. “I spent eight years living in Silicon Valley, Calif., after migrating from Kenya to the United States. My husband and I realized very fast at the end of 2016 that we needed to move out of our one-bedroom apartment in the Bay Area as our family grew.” The Waruis came across Maricopa Realtor Adam Leach on social media. “He had a major role in our decision to move to Maricopa as he was able to ease us into the transition, and for that, I will always be thankful,” she said. “After we became homeowners, we were relieved of the burden of the high expense of living.”
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December 2023 | InMaricopa.com
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