EFULAYO REUBEN MWANGE

Reuben Mwanje is a 71-year-old man who was born in Gamoi village, Vihiga County. He was raised by his mother, Agnes, in a family of seven children. Being one of the many siblings in a large household, Ruben learned the importance of resilience from a very early age.

His journey in education began at Gamoi Primary School, where he studied from Standard 1 until he reached Standard 7. Unfortunately, he was unable to sit for his final exams due to the severe financial hardships his family faced in the late 1970s. Since his father could not afford the fees and jobs were scarce, Ruben had to leave school to help find a way for the family to survive.

Following the end of his schooling, Ruben began taking on manual labor jobs at the young age of nine. He first moved to Kisumu, where he worked various small jobs for a year before returning to Kakamega. Once back in Kakamega, he took up work as a security watchman, a role he maintained for many years to keep his head above water.

In his adult life, Reuben married and became a father to eight children, though he eventually experienced the loss of his only daughter.

Raising such a large family was a constant battle, and even though he worked tirelessly, it was difficult to provide enough food and education for everyone. His children were only able to reach Class 8 before they, too, had to stop their schooling because the money simply was not there.

His breakthrough came through a neighbor named Lydia, who worked with a local sub-chief to identify those in need and helped him register with the Mama Ibado Charitable Organization. Now, he receives a reliable supply of maize flour, milk, rice, porridge flour, and sugar to sustain his family.

"The introduction of this support system has transformed my household from a place of uncertainty to one of consistent nourishment," Said Reuben.

Life is much better now compared to the past, as the worry of where the next meal will come from has faded away.

"Access to regular meals has given me a new lease on life, ensuring that hunger no longer dictates our daily existence," notes Reuben.

He is deeply grateful to the organization for standing by him and protecting his family from the hunger they once knew.

Despite this vital assistance, Reuben still faces many challenges as an elderly man with a large family and no steady income. He requires continued support to ensure he can maintain a dignified life and cover other basic costs that his current situation cannot meet.