Alphonse Theresina Shibatse

Alphonse Theresina Shibatse was born in 1949 in the Muranda village of Kakamega County. As a young girl, she was eager to learn and attended school from Class One up to Class Eight. However, her education was cut short because her family could not raise the necessary school fees. Unable to continue her studies, she remained at home, helping her mother with farm work and daily chores to support the household.

In 1966, at the age of 18, Theresina moved to Shitao to get married. She and her husband were blessed with eight children, though she sadly lost one. Her life took a difficult turn when her husband fell ill and passed away, leaving her to raise seven children alone.

Life became a daily struggle for survival. With no steady income and school fees impossible to afford, her children—like Pascal and Christopher—were forced to drop out of school. To feed her family, Theresina relied on kibarua (casual manual labor). She spent her days digging and weeding in other people's farms, often returning home with barely enough food for a single meal.

As years passed, Theresina’s strength faded. Today, she is frail and can no longer perform the hard labor required to earn a wage; she can only manage light chores like sweeping or washing dishes. Her children, though grown, struggle with unemployment and cannot fully support her.

Her turning point came when the local Chief identified her need and wrote her a referral letter. She walked door-to-door until she found the Mama Ibado center.

Since joining the program, Theresina’s life has transformed. She no longer wakes up anxious about where her next meal will come from. She receives essential food supplies like rice, sugar, and milk. 

Theresina is filled with immense gratitude. She recalls the days of hunger and wandering in search of work with sadness, but now speaks of her new life with joy. She continues to need this help because, without the support of Mama Ibado, her lack of strength and her children's financial struggles would leave her destitute once again.