FATUMA HASSAN MOHAMED

For Fatuma Mohamed Hassan, home has never been a place she could take for granted. Originally from Mandera, she came to Isiolo with her husband in search of safety and a chance to rebuild their lives. They eventually settled in Olajarule, where Fatuma began creating a home for her family despite having little to depend on. When her husband passed away, Fatuma was left to carry the responsibility of providing for her family on her own. With no steady source of income, she relied on whatever work she could find to keep food on the table. She washed clothes for neighbours and took on other forms of manual labour, doing physically demanding work simply to get through each day.

Over time, her responsibilities grew. Fatuma became the primary caregiver not only to her own children but also to five grandchildren who came to depend on her. Her household eventually grew to include her son after the breakdown of his marriage, bringing three generations under one roof and placing even greater pressure on Fatuma to provide for the family. Then her health began to make the work she relied on increasingly difficult. Fatuma developed diabetes and high blood pressure, conditions that required ongoing care. A fall later left her with a lasting spinal injury and persistent back pain. The injury gradually took away her ability to perform the physical tasks that had once provided her household with an income.

At a time when Fatuma was facing growing responsibilities with fewer and fewer ways to meet them, the Mama Ibado Foundation stepped in. After her circumstances were assessed, she was enrolled in the monthly food assistance program, providing her household with a regular supply of food.

The support has brought relief to a family that had been living with years of uncertainty. For Fatuma, having food assistance each month means one less burden to carry when her health prevents her from working as she once did. For her children and five grandchildren, it provides a more reliable source of food and greater stability within the household. The assistance has also allowed Fatuma to continue caring for her family without the same pressure to push herself into work that her body can no longer manage. After years of relying on physical labour to provide for those around her, she now has support that meets one of the family's most basic needs.

Today, the monthly food assistance has helped bring greater stability to her household and support three generations who share a home and depend on one another. For Fatuma, it is not simply about receiving food. It is about having the security to care for her family at a time when she can no longer carry the same physical burdens she once did.