Andrea Imonje Agola

Andrea Angola Imonje was born in 1949 in Musingu Village as the second child in a family of seven. He grew up alongside one brother and six sisters, but the family eventually moved to their current home in Ilesi.

He began his education at a local school and managed to reach Class 4 before he was forced to stop. Andrea faced significant learning challenges during his time in the classroom and never gained the ability to read or write.

After leaving school, he remained at home but found himself unable to perform the heavy manual labor that his peers relied on for survival. His life was further complicated in 1977 when both of his parents passed away within just two months of each other.

Following the death of his parents, the family was separated, and the siblings were left to fend for themselves. Andrea never married or had children of his own, as his physical and cognitive challenges made it impossible for him to start a family.

He eventually fell into a state of neglect until his eldest sister, Berneda, left her own marriage to return home and become his full-time caregiver. They lived in a cycle of extreme hardship, often lacking food and relying on the small amounts Berneda earned from splitting and selling firewood.

The struggle became even more difficult as Andrea’s health declined, eventually losing his ability to walk and suffering from constant, debilitating pain in his legs. We, the Mama Ibado field officers, visited their home in 2026 after community members alerted us to their dire living conditions and lack of support.

Upon registration, Andrea began receiving a monthly food basket that includes four packets of maize flour, rice, sugar, salt, porridge flour, and cooking oil. He also benefits from the health program, which is essential for managing the chronic pain that keeps him confined to his home.

"In the years before we were found, we lived in constant worry of where the next meal would come from, but now we have peace knowing there is food in the house. This support has allowed us to focus on his comfort and health rather than just the basic struggle to stay alive."

The assistance provided has transformed their daily lives, ensuring that neither Andrea nor his aging sister has to sleep hungry. It has provided a safety net for a man who has no children to look after him in his old age.

Andrea remains in urgent need of help because his physical disability prevents him from ever working to support himself. His sister is also aging and no longer has the physical strength to provide for both of them without this consistent external support.