ABUBAKAR SABTO HERSI

When Abubakar Sabto reflects on his early years in Isiolo, his story is one of perseverance, hard work, and gratitude. Raised in a large family, he grew up watching his father struggle to secure steady employment while doing his best to provide for the household. Financial challenges meant Abubakar’s education ended after Standard Seven, leaving him to find other ways to contribute to his family’s survival.

With limited opportunities to continue his studies, Abubakar turned to small-scale trade and manual labour, working hard to make ends meet. Over the years, he built a life, raised a family, and took on the responsibilities of providing for his loved ones. Through it all, he remained grateful to God for what he had.

For decades, informal trade and manual work provided Abubakar with a means of survival. However, as he grew older, the physical demands of earning a living became increasingly difficult to manage. Work that had sustained him for much of his life was no longer as accessible, leaving him more vulnerable to the challenges of meeting his basic needs.

A turning point came when he was introduced to Mama Ibado Charity’s senior feeding programme. After learning about the programme, Abubakar followed the registration process and was eventually enrolled, opening the door to much-needed assistance in his later years.

Today, through Mama Ibado Charity’s monthly food distributions, Abubakar receives essential household food supplies, including wheat, sugar, cooking oil and other food essentials. This assistance helps ease the burden of providing for his daily needs, particularly at a stage in life when earning an income has become more difficult.

For Abubakar, the value of this support extends beyond the food itself. It offers reassurance and helps him face each day with greater peace of mind. Guided by his faith, he believes that every act of kindness deserves gratitude, regardless of the size of the contribution. The programme has become a meaningful source of relief, helping him navigate the challenges of old age with greater dignity.

Having spent much of his life working to provide for his family, Abubakar understands the importance of having support when circumstances make self-reliance more difficult. The food assistance helps him meet essential needs while easing some of the uncertainty that comes with growing older and being unable to work as he once did.

As he reflects on his journey, Abubakar’s greatest wish is for continued good health and for the kindness he has experienced to reach other older people facing similar hardships. He hopes that God will continue to bless Mama Ibado Charity and everyone who makes its work possible, enabling the organisation to extend its support to more vulnerable members of the community.