Bakari Adija Achitsa

Adija Bakari was born in 1942 in Khayega, Kakamega County, where she spent her childhood. She never attended school.

In 1980, Adisa married and moved with her husband to Amalemba. Their life together ended prematurely when her husband passed away, leaving her with the overwhelming responsibility of raising nine young children. Over time, five of those children died, leaving her to raise four survivors—three girls and one boy.

To support her family, Adisa took on manual labor, primarily washing other people's clothes. Her life became a relentless cycle of scrubbing and toil. She held an unwavering dream that her children would achieve what she could not, and she struggled fiercely to ensure they finished their schooling. Sadly, despite her immense sacrifice, poverty proved insurmountable, and none of her children currently have jobs. Adisa faced her mounting problems alone, grieving the loss of her husband and the dashed hopes for her children's futures.

The job that fed her family was the same job that broke her body. The continuous need to bend over for long hours without relief caused her to develop crippling back and leg pains. Soon after, she started experiencing chest discomfort, which she realized was a developing heart problem. With her health collapsing, she had no choice but to quit the work she depended on.

This forced resignation immediately plunged her and her remaining family into crisis; they began to go without food. The emotional stress and desperation became too much, and Adisa spiraled into depression. As her emotional state worsened, so did her physical symptoms, forcing her to seek a medical check-up. The diagnosis was a shock: she was suffering from high blood pressure, adding yet another burden to her deteriorating health.

Just when Adisa felt she had reached the end of her endurance, a lifeline arrived. One day, a group from the Mama Ibado Charity (MIC) visited her home. They sat with her, listened carefully to her heartbreaking story, and witnessed the depth of her need—her poverty, her failing health, her depression, and her isolation. Recognizing she qualified for assistance, Adisa was officially enrolled in the charity's program.

Today, Adisa’s life is finally beginning to change. The Mama Ibado Charity provides her with a monthly food hamper to feed her family and medical support to help manage her high blood pressure and other ailments. Bit by bit, the help is easing the immense stress she carried for so long. Aadija Bakari, the woman who was once depressed and overwhelmed, is now slowly becoming a stress-free person, relieved that a significant part of her struggle is being cared for by the organization. The charity has given her not just sustenance, but hope and dignity in her later years.