CLEVELAND — Re:Source Cleveland partnered with the Real Black Friday in Cleveland to make Christmas wishes come true for refugee children. 

What You Need To Know

  • Irene Mucyo and Daniel Maombi decorated a Christmas tree together for the first time

  • The Real Black Friday made Christmas wishes come true for around 100 kids

  • The refugee community is celebrating Christmas away from home

Daniel Maombi and Irene Mucyo decorated a Christmas tree for the first time. Maombi and Mucyo are refugees and came from different parts of the world. Both are celebrating the holidays away from the place they always considered home.

"It’s different than what I’m from, because usually we don’t give out gifts we don’t do all of that stuff. We usually just get together and eat," he said.

Mucyo is from Rwanda and moved to Cleveland for better education. He said he's also learning how to fit in when celebrating the holidays. Larse Purnell with the Real Black Friday helped him with that.

"You see them, just happy everyone is smiling," he said.

Purnell was looking at photos he took of kids reacting to the 'Wishmas' event he helped put on. Purnell is the founder of the Real Black Friday and said they helped make wishes come true for about 100 kids.

"We had game trucks, we had a beauty truck there, then we took the kids to Target where each child was able to spend a hundred dollars and pick something they actually wanted," he said.

Mucyo said he enjoyed being able to pick out his own gift.

"So I got hair product. Amazing. I needed that. I’m not done yet. I’m working on it right now but soon it’ll be perfect," he said.

Maombi got himself some new clothes.

"I got these pants, the pants I’m wearing right now," he said.

Both said it’s more than just what they got, but also how they felt and the memories they made during the holiday event.

"Most importantly, I got to spend time with the people I love, like him right here, my friend," Maombi said.