ANYONJE WANAMI

Anyonje Wanami was born in Kakamega in the year 1946. He grew up in a household with four brothers and five sisters, but over time, he became the sole surviving sibling after all his brothers and sisters passed away.

His journey through education was short-lived, beginning at Bushiri before he relocated to Shikoti. He was forced to drop out entirely upon reaching class four because his family could not afford the school fees.

Following his premature exit from school, he remained at the family homestead. He spent his days engaged in manual farming, tilling his father's plot to help keep the family fed.

He eventually married, and together with his wife, they had two sons and three daughters. Raising the large family was an ongoing battle against poverty, characterized by relying on unpredictable odd jobs while his wife did subsistence farming on a tiny piece of land, often resulting in them sleeping on empty stomachs.

Their heavy financial constraints directly impacted the children, as both sons dropped out of school early, one at class five and the other at form one. While one daughter managed to find brief clerical work in Nairobi, all three daughters eventually moved away to live with their husbands, leaving the parents without stable financial support.

Seeking to provide for his household, he moved to the Mogotio area in Nakuru to seek employment. He spent many years working long hours as a camp guard at the Lumolo Saisal Estate farm before eventually retiring and returning home.

His retirement offered no relief from poverty, forcing him to take up another low-paying job as a night watchman in Kakamega just to survive. The family lived under severe strain in a small mud house, constantly wondering where their next meal would come from.

The turning point came when he encountered a local official and inquired about assistance programs.

"I approached them and asked for help because the hunger at home was severe," he recalls.

Following this conversation, a representative from the Mama Ibado Charity visited his place to assess his living conditions. He was formally enrolled in the senior's program on June 21, 2021, and became eligible for regular support.

Through the program, he now regularly receives nutritional provisions including four packets of maize flour, porridge flour, sugar, rice, salt, and tea leaves. This consistent food supply directly supports him and his four dependants.

"I am very grateful for this food because it has restored my physical health and brought stability to our home," he shares. "We no longer face the constant stress of sleeping hungry every night."

Beyond the nutritional support, the program has greatly reduced his mental anxiety. He no longer has to exhaust his remaining physical energy doing strenuous manual labor just to put food on the table.

Anyonje Wanami still requires ongoing sponsorship to sustain his daily livelihood. Given his advanced age, lack of a stable income, and the responsibility of supporting four dependants while living in a fragile mud house, continued assistance ensures he can live his remaining years with dignity.