Saku Galgalo

In the heart of Isiolo, Saku Galgalo’s life is a quiet but powerful testimony of endurance, love, and transformation. Her days used to be heavy with sorrow, shaped by loss and the endless demands of caregiving. Saku once cared for her aging father tending to his every need as his health declined. It was a role she embraced out of love, but one that weighed heavily on her, especially with no steady source of income. Neither she nor her husband had jobs at the time, and the struggle to make ends meet was relentless.

Then came another heartbreak: the death of her daughter-in-law. The young woman’s passing left behind three children, the youngest barely two months old. Without hesitation, Saku stepped in once again, now as a full-time caregiver to her grandchildren. This was not the life she had envisioned for her later years, but her love knew no limits. “There was no one else,” she often says, “and they needed me.” The financial and emotional strain began to take a toll on her health. Saku developed ulcers, a condition worsened by stress and irregular meals. She also began experiencing serious eye problems, which made daily tasks difficult. Yet she carried on, holding her family together with the little strength she had left.

Things began to shift when she joined Mama Ibado Charity’s Seniors Feeding Program. For the first time in a long time, she felt seen. She began receiving monthly food support, which lifted a major burden off her shoulders. No longer did she have to worry about how to feed her grandchildren or herself. There was dignity in having enough. Just as importantly, Saku gained access to free medical care through the charity’s clinic. Whenever her ulcers flare up, she visits the clinic and receives treatment and medication. It’s a lifeline, one she never imagined she’d have. “I don’t have to wait. I just go and I’m treated. Then I feel better,” she says, her voice filled with quiet gratitude.

Today, Saku may still live with challenges, but she lives with far more peace. Her health is more stable. Her grandchildren are growing up. And her spirit, once dimmed by sorrow, shines a little brighter each day. She continues to show up—for her family, for herself—and it is this quiet resilience that makes her story one of hope.