One Saturday this past February, I headed out to Silver Spring, Maryland, to photograph the Potomac Rotary Club helping on Habitat Montgomery County’s first ever Pride Build home. This is where I met Tesfaye completing his sweat equity hours.

As with every Habitat build, the day was filled with hard work, laughter and positive energy. Tesfaye was very serious in his tasks, making sure to get everything in his new home perfect, but every time you’d catch his eye, a huge smile crossed his lips. And with each photograph he caught me taking of him, he would say, “thank you” and bow his head.

It’s inspiring to witness a first-time future homeowner take such pride and put so much intention into their own home. This summer, Tesfaye, his wife and their two little girls saw their dream manifest, moving out of a bug-infested apartment and into their newly renovated home.