Mukani Rosebella Skolo was born on January 1, 1958, in the village of Mukomari, Shinyalu. She was the fourth child in a large family of eight, entering a household where every meal was a hard-won victory.
Her journey through education ended prematurely in class three because her parents, who were humble peasant farmers, lacked the money to pay for her schooling. With the classroom doors closed, she returned to her parents' land, spending her youth in the fields helping them perform the heavy manual labor required to survive.
She eventually married Charles Auma and moved to Shitaho, where they built a life together in a small, four-roomed mud house. They welcomed eight children into their home, but life remained a constant ...
Mukani Rosebella Skolo was born on January 1, 1958, in the village of Mukomari, Shinyalu. She was the fourth child in a large family of eight, entering a household where every meal was a hard-won victory.
Her journey through education ended prematurely in class three because her parents, who were humble peasant farmers, lacked the money to pay for her schooling. With the classroom doors closed, she returned to her parents' land, spending her youth in the fields helping them perform the heavy manual labor required to survive.
She eventually married Charles Auma and moved to Shitaho, where they built a life together in a small, four-roomed mud house. They welcomed eight children into their home, but life remained a constant struggle as they tried to provide for their large family without stable employment.
The couple relied on small-scale hustles, buying and selling maize and beans, and attempting to rear poultry to keep their children fed. Despite their hard work, they endured the deep pain of losing two of their children, leaving them to raise the remaining seven under the weight of extreme poverty.
The lack of consistent income meant that while some children reached form four, others were forced to stop at class eight as the money simply ran out. Today, their surviving children remain without stable jobs, leaving Mukani and Charles to care for five grandchildren who live with them in their fragile mud home.
Life in Shitaho is physically demanding; the home has no electricity, and the family must trek to the River Isikhu to fetch water for all their daily needs. Before help arrived, Mukani lived in a state of constant anxiety, often skipping meals and watching her grandchildren suffer because the small trade business had collapsed.
She was eventually identified by a neighbor named Margaret, who saw the family’s hunger and how Mukani was struggling to sustain five dependents on an empty kitchen. Margaret recommended her for the seniors' program, and Mukani was officially enrolled in the Mama Ibado Charity on April 1, 2023.
Today, Mukani receives a consistent supply of rice, sugar, oil, and nutrient-rich wimbi flour for porridge, which ensures the family has both lunch and dinner. This support has stabilized her home, allowing her to care for her husband and grandchildren without the terrifying uncertainty of starvation.
"There were so many nights we sat in the dark with nothing to eat, but since joining the program, the worry has left my heart because my grandchildren now have a meal waiting for them every day."
This intervention has restored her dignity, moving her from a life of desperation to a place of security and hope. She no longer has to exhaust her limited energy wondering how she will keep the young ones alive, as the charity has provided a foundation for their survival.
Mukani still needs help because she and her husband are aging and live in a home without basic utilities like power or piped water. With five young dependents relying on them and no stable income from her adult children, the continued support of donors is the only thing protecting this family from falling back into the depths of hunger.
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