Sofia Inganga Omumia

Sofia Inganga, 71, was born in Butere Mumias in 1954. Her childhood was marked by severe poverty; while her older siblings managed to attend school, Sophia, as the youngest, never received any education—not even nursery school. 

Her early life transitioned swiftly into marriage. She lived well with her husband until his death, which left her to raise their six children alone. This loss, combined with the difficulty of raising a large family by herself, made life incredibly challenging. Driven by the need to feed her children, Sophia decided to leave their home and move to Kakamega to search for work.

She initially settled in the Amalemba area for a significant period. Seeking better opportunities, a friend later took her to Nakuru, where they secured farm work for an Indian owner.
Sophia stayed in Nakuru for nine years.

However, this employment ended abruptly. The Indian owner, seeing that Sophia and the other women had grown old, became concerned that their advanced age might expose him to legal complications. He fired them without providing any meaningful compensation.

After losing her job, Sophia returned to Amalemba, only to find she had no home of her own. She is currently struggling to pay the rent for a house in the Amalemba Scheme.
Adding to her burden, Sophia is now raising her grandchild. The child’s mother has passed away, and the father is an unemployed alcoholic, leaving the boy entirely in Sophia's care. Even ensuring the grandchild attends school is a daily hardship.

Sophia's own six children are also unemployed and unable to help her; she says she cannot ask for assistance from those who have nothing themselves. At 70, she feels overwhelmed, stating she was better off when she could help others, but now she is no longer strong enough to farm.

Today, Sophia finds vital support through the Mama Ibado Charity (MIC). She is deeply grateful to the charity for protecting her life by ensuring she has food security. MIC provides her with essential items, including porridge flour, four bags of ugali flour, a kilogram of sugar, a kilogram of cooking oil, and rice.

“I sincerely thank them and everyone who contributed those items,” says Sofia.

The support from the Mama Ibado Charity provides Sofia with a crucial lifeline as she cares for her family and navigates the challenges of her later years.