Emily Ketry Ongachi

At 72, Emily Ketry Ongachi, affectionately known as Shangazi, has faced unimaginable heartbreak. After losing both a child and her husband, she was left with just one daughter. It was then that She made a solemn vow: her remaining child would receive the education She never had the chance to complete.

Despite living with disability, she refused to be defined by it. She embraced an entrepreneurial spirit, venturing into various small businesses to ensure her family's survival, tackling each day with unwavering determination.

However, time and age began to take their toll. As her own strength deteriorated, her family's needs continued to grow. Providing for their daily necessities and, crucially, paying for her daughter's school fees became an increasingly difficult burden.

Just when hope seemed dim, Mama Ibado Charity stepped in. Mama Ibado Charity provided the much-needed refuge, offering monthly food rations to sustain her and weekly clinics to attend to her health.

"The food helps me so much," Emily shares, her voice filled with gratitude. "It gives me a fighting chance each month." In her later years, she found a new path to self-sufficiency: a daycare program run from her own home. This allows her to earn a small income, just enough to cover rent and school fees.

She is profoundly grateful to Mama Ibado Charity for the support. "They took me under their wing," she says, "giving me a second chance at life."