JOSEPHINE MAKO OMUTAMBA

Josephine Mako was born in Bunyore, Vihiga County, in 1957. She was the third of five children in her family. Her parents were subsistence farmers whose lives revolved around their shambas (small farms), resulting in a difficult and scarce existence. They would sell farm produce and items like mandazis (fried dough) to supplement their income, leaving Josephine's childhood filled with hardship.

Despite the difficult circumstances, Josephine managed to pursue her education. Through community fundraising efforts that helped sponsor promising students, she attended Emuhaya Primary School and then Bunyore Girls up to Form Four. After completing high school in 1970, she found no employment. She later enrolled at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in Thika, where she met her future husband.

While in her first year of school, Josephine became pregnant. This forced her to discontinue her studies and follow her husband to Busia for marriage. In Busia, she bore another four children. Initially, her marriage was good, but this only lasted for a few years. One day, her husband, who was a driver, was killed in an accident while at work. His death led her in-laws to chase her away, leaving her stranded and forcing her to return to her original home in Bunyore.

Finding life too difficult in Bunyore, Josephine relocated to Kakamega, where she rented accommodation near the Amalemba stage. To survive, she started a small business, roasting maize for an arduous 27 years. This casual work was her only source of income, enabling her to feed and raise her children until they grew up and went their separate ways.

Life at home became desolate as her children left and her health began to fail. Her heart started to trouble her, leading to frequent collapses. Doctors eventually told her that the constant exposure to smoke over 27 years from roasting maize had seriously damaged her heart, forcing her to abandon her only source of livelihood.

Now jobless and with nothing to rely on, Josephine learned about the Mama Ibado project from a teacher at the local mosque. She was directed to bring her identification card for age verification and was subsequently enrolled in the program in 2020. This project has since become her lifeline.

Josephine currently benefits from the essential food aid provided by Mama Ibado, receiving supplies like flour, sugar, rice, and cooking oil, which she says is "helping me well." Crucially, she is also benefiting immensely from the health assistance, as she was diagnosed with multiple serious conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Mama Ibado helped enroll Josephine into the NHIF (National Hospital Insurance Fund) scheme, which ensures she receives continuous medical treatment. She receives all the necessary tablets, and the debilitating pain in her heart has begun to heal. Josephine regularly visits the clinic every Thursday for check-ups and to receive her medication.

Josephine expresses profound gratitude for the support, stating, "I pray that God continues to bless her greatly and that she continues to do the same for others."

Having lost her job due to a serious medical condition and with no one left to support her, Josephine is solely dependent on the Mama Ibado project for her food, housing, and life-saving medical treatment, highlighting her urgent need for continued support.