Lukhaba Hellen Ongesa

Lukhaba Hellen Ongesa was born in 1944 in Bunyore, Vihiga County.

She was the first-born daughter in a large family where her presence was essential for the household's survival.

She began her education locally but was only able to reach class three before her schooling ended abruptly. After her parents passed away while she and her siblings were still young, she sacrificed her education to stay home and care for her younger brothers and sisters.

Following her departure from school, she took on heavy manual labor and domestic duties to provide for her siblings. She spent her early years working in the fields and managing the home until she reached marriageable age.

She eventually married and moved to Ebubai within Bunyore, where she began a long and difficult journey as a mother. Out of the nine children she gave birth to, eight passed away in their childhood, leaving only her daughter Esther as her sole surviving child.

Life took an even harder turn when her husband sold their entire piece of land, leaving the family completely homeless and without a means to grow food. After her husband's death, she was left as a widow with no inheritance, forcing her to move to the Amalemba area of Kakamega town to live with her daughter in a cramped, two-roomed semi-permanent house belonging to a cousin.

The years of hardship and the loss of her home took a heavy toll on her body, eventually leading to a stroke that left her partially paralyzed. She now suffers from ulcers and hypertension, and without electricity or a stable income, her daughter struggles to provide the specialized care and soft foods she requires.

In January 2019, she was introduced to the Mama Ibado program after she attended a local gathering where her frail condition was noticed by the staff. They followed up by visiting the small room where she stayed with her daughter, assessed her health and lack of food, and officially enrolled her.

She now receives monthly rations including maize flour, rice, cooking oil, sugar, and tea leaves. Because of her stroke and ulcers, her daughter mashes these foods and prepares porridge, which is the only way Hellen can comfortably eat.

"Since joining the program, the constant fear of where my mother's next meal will come from has been lifted, and I can now focus on managing her health. The food we receive is not just a meal; it is the medicine that keeps her alive when we have nothing else."

Lukhaba Hellen Ongesa still requires help to meet the costs of her ongoing medical treatments and to improve the living conditions in the small, dark room she calls home. Your support will ensure this resilient widow continues to receive the specialized care and nutrition her fragile health demands.