Northeastern University professor Reem Gohar wanted a piece of the American dream of homeownership.
But her Islamic faith prohibits interest on loans.
Thanks to a partnership with a local bank, however, Gohar not only found a home, she found herself being followed by a camera crew from the BBC.
“It was amazing, and it was a bit embarrassing,” Gohar says while laughing. “I was working and they had big cameras behind me. And they came to my condo and they brought cameras bigger than my condo.”
Gohar is originally from Egypt, but she is “always looking for more” and immigrated to the United States in 2000.
In November 2022, Gohar moved across the country to work at Northeastern’s campus in Portland, Maine, where she is now an assistant teaching professor of project management.
Gohar loves Portland and Maine, despite its winters — and trending real estate market.
But Gohar wanted to put down roots.
“I wanted to buy, but I have restrictions about buying because I do not want to pay interest because interest is considered usury in Islam,” Gohar says.
That’s where Androscoggin Bank came in.
The bank was founded in 1870 to service the immigrant community then flocking to Maine’s mills. It recently developed a program in consultation with the local Muslim community to accommodate the community’s lending needs. For instance, Gohar has arranged a scenario like a rent-to-own model.
“It wasn’t just designing a solution; it was building a bridge to the community,” bank CEO Neil Kiely says in the video.
The bank commissioned BBC StoryWorks to highlight the program and the bank’s commitment to its local community.
Gohar was happy to contribute.
“I talked about how the bank helped me reach my dream to buy a house,” Gohar says. “I did it for a good cause: to spread the word and to help my community, and at the same time to help other companies to think of a social aspect, not just making revenue.”
As for her condo?“It’s perfect,” Gohar says.