Pauline Andisi Kisui

Pauline Andisi Kisui, 73, was born in Bunyore East (then part of the Kakamega District) in 1952. She attended Emalindi Primary School through Class 8; however, her father's lack of funds for secondary education forced her to leave school and enroll in tailoring training.
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‎After her marriage in 1965, she relocated to Bunyore West with her husband, and it was there she established her tailoring business, practicing her craft in Lwanda.
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‎The couple lived for decades without the joy of having children.

‎Seeking to expand her professional opportunities, Pauline relocated to Nairobi in 1995 to scale up her tailoring business in the capital city.
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‎The most profound change in her life occurred four years later, in 1999, when her husband died of heart failure. Following his death, Pauline immediately returned to her matrimonial home in Bunyore West. There, she was met with severe cruelty: her in-laws, citing her childlessness and financial vulnerability, stripped her of all her husband’s belongings, including the family car. She was scorned and left destitute, having already stopped her tailoring work.
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‎With nowhere to turn, a generous act of rescue came from one of her co-wife’s children. This relative took Pauline in, bringing her to Kakamega and securing her a position as a caretaker in Amalemba.
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‎Today, Pauline faces significant health challenges, managing heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and bronchitis. It was during a visit to the Kakamega General Hospital for treatment that she met a friend, Fatuma, who introduced her to the Mama Ibado Charity (MIC).
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‎The charity is now a vital source of support, providing her with essential food items such as flour, milk, sugar, rice, tea leaves, and salt.
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‎“I am very happy for the assistance they are giving me,” says Pauline.
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‎After decades of struggle and loss, the Mama Ibado Charity offers the elder a crucial safety net, allowing her to focus on her health and find some peace in her later years.