Lungai Catherine Khamete

Catherine Khameta Lungai is a 73-year-old woman who was born in the Bukhungu area Kakamega County. She was the last born in a family of seven children, consisting of two boys and five girls. Her early years were marked by the warmth of a large family until the stability of her home was upended by the passing of her mother.

She attended Shamisi Primary School, where she managed to study until reaching class five in 1969. Her education came to an abrupt end following her mother’s death, as there was no one willing to support an orphaned child’s schooling during that era. Without a benefactor, she found herself in a desperate situation where continuing her studies became an impossible dream.

Following the end of her formal education, she remained at home where life became a series of grueling tasks. As her mother had been the first wife, Catherine was left under the care of a stepmother who prioritized her own biological children. She spent her youth working as a domestic laborer within the household, performing heavy chores and serving the family's needs instead of pursuing her own growth.

Upon getting married, Catherine relocated to Shitao area and eventually became a mother to nine children. To provide for her large family, she engaged in small-scale businesses such as selling tomatoes and vegetables, though the income was rarely enough to meet their basic needs. The family faced deep financial hardships and frequently struggled with hunger, a situation that worsened significantly after her husband passed away.

"The burden of constant hunger and the physical toll of manual labor have been replaced by a sense of dignity and the assurance of daily sustenance," says Catherine Lungai.

Her path to relief began through a neighbor named Margaret, who noticed Catherine’s advanced age and the strain of looking after grandchildren. Margaret recognized that Catherine was too elderly for heavy farm labor and introduced her to the Mama Ibado Charity. After the program coordinators visited her home to verify her living conditions and hear her history, she was formally registered as a beneficiary.

Through this program, she receives a monthly supply of essential food items including maize flour, rice, sugar, salt, milk, and cooking oil. These provisions have stabilized her household, ensuring that neither she nor her grandchildren have to endure the pain of sleeping on an empty stomach. This support has allowed her to redirect her limited energy away from the constant stress of finding food.

Beyond nutritional support, she benefits significantly from the health program which provides her with comprehensive medical insurance. Catherine manages chronic conditions, specifically diabetes and hypertension, and visits the clinic every Thursday for regular check-ups. Receiving these professional medical services and the necessary medications at no cost has been life-changing for her overall well-being.

"Access to consistent medical monitoring and specialized medication has restored my strength, allowing me to focus on my family rather than my ailments," says Lungai.

Despite the immense support from the program, she continues to face significant challenges because she does not own any land and lives as a squatter. Her children lack stable employment and rely on irregular casual labor, which means they can only offer her very small, infrequent amounts of money that cannot sustain a household. She remains in need of continued assistance to navigate these systemic poverty issues and the lack of permanent housing security.