LOQUEINE LONGUKAI

Loqueine Longukai’s life is a quiet testament to endurance, a story shaped by years of love, loss, and resilience that refuses to fade. She spent many years in Nairobi with her husband, building a life and raising a family. For a long time, the city was home. But even in those earlier years, life was not without hardship. Around the time her daughter Rebecca Akai was born, the family had already begun to experience painful losses, including the passing of some of her children.

Many years ago, sometime in the 1970s or 1980s, she was involved in a road accident in Nairobi alongside her husband while traveling by bus to Tanzania. During that accident, she sustained injuries to both sides of her head—an experience that would leave lasting effects over time. After years in Nairobi, they later relocated to Isiolo when her husband retired, returning to a quieter life. But the challenges continued. She lost her husband, and later, the family endured the devastating loss of her firstborn and other children. Each loss deepened the weight she carried, leaving behind memories that have never fully faded.

In recent years, her health has declined, and she now struggles with memory loss. At times, she becomes disoriented, speaking to herself or calling out for her children who have already passed on, as though they are still close to her. During the night, even when someone is present, she may cry out or scream, reflecting the depth of the memories she carries.

Despite these challenges, she is not alone. Through the support of Mama Ibado Charity, Loqueine Longukai receives monthly food assistance, including rice, maize flour, wheat flour, cooking oil, sugar, milk, and other essential supplies. The milk is used to prepare tea, and vegetables are sourced locally to cook alongside the food provided, helping sustain her day-to-day life.

Today, she lives under the care and support of her family, alongside the continued assistance from Mama Ibado Charity. What once felt like an uncertain future has been steadied by consistent support and compassion.