MBWANA ISMAEL JUMA

Ismail Juma Mbwana was born in 1958 in Amalemba. He was the second born in a family of six children, consisting of two boys and four girls.

He attended Township Primary School and sat for his national examinations in 1979. He proceeded to Rose Tamani Secondary School but stopped in form two because his family could not afford the school fees.

After leaving school, he returned home and began working as a manual laborer in construction sites. He later transitioned into the transport industry and operated small businesses selling peanuts to sustain himself.

Ismail married in 1980 and had nine children, though two passed away during their childhood. He worked for thirty-six years in the transport sector as a tout to provide for his family, but life remained difficult as most of his surviving children are either unemployed or working low-paying casual jobs.

The family faced further hardship when his daughter returned home with her children after a separation, leaving Ismail to care for them despite his declining strength. He and his wife relied on selling samosas to get through days when they had no other source of food or income.

He joined the Mama Ibado Charity on June 4, 2018, after being identified through the local mosque committee. Having grown up with some of the founding family members, he was registered in the second phase of the program to receive monthly food.

He receives a monthly supply of maize flour, two kilograms of rice, two kilograms of sugar, two liters of cooking oil, tea leaves, and salt. He also benefits from the medical program where he visits the clinic every Thursday for health check-ups and treatment.

The transition from a life of constant labor to receiving consistent support has provided his household with much-needed stability. "These food items help us significantly because I now have the peace of mind that my grandchildren and wife will not sleep hungry," he states.

Ismail still needs help because he is now 68 years old and no longer strong enough to work in the transport or construction sectors. He carries the heavy responsibility of providing for his wife and grandchildren while managing his own health needs through the program.