MARBALLINA MUSABI CHIBOLI

Marballina Musabi Chiboli was born in 1934 in Murhanda village, found in Kakamega County. She grew up as the last-born child in a family of eight children. As time passed, all her seven brothers and sisters died, leaving her as the only surviving child from her original family.

She started her schooling at Shiswa Primary School but only managed to reach class one. She wanted to stay in school, but she had to drop out completely because her parents could not afford the school fees.

After leaving school, she stayed at home to help her parents with heavy everyday chores. She spent her younger years fetching heavy water containers from far streams, cooking on firewood, and weeding the family fields.

She later left Murhanda to get married in Nyayo teazone, but life remained very difficult.

Her husband worked as a night guard for very little money, while Marballina farmed small pieces of land to sell maize, bananas, and vegetables.

They had eight children together, but five of them died, leaving only three children who are currently unemployed and unable to help their mother.

The family often slept on empty stomachs, and things became worse when her husband died, leaving her a widow in a broken mud house with no electricity. Years of hard labor and hunger ruined her health, leaving her with high blood pressure, ulcers, and a weak body.

Her great-granddaughter, Belinda Khasila, now lives with her to help by cooking, sweeping the mud floor, washing her clothes, and fetching water for her to bathe.

Life was almost impossible until the local village elder, came to see her condition and took her to Mama Ibado Charity. She was joined into the senior’s feeding program on April 1, 2023, where she started getting maize flour, sugar, rice, salt, cooking oil, and milk.

This regular food supply saved her from starvation and helped her weak body. Apart from the food, she now goes to the clinic every Thursday for medical check-ups and treatment for her illnesses.

Even with this food, Marballina still lives in a dark mud house without electricity. She still needs donor support to help her get regular medicine for her high blood pressure and ulcers.