Petronila Shistuswa

Born and raised in Kakamega County, Petronila Shistuswa has endured a life shaped by struggle, resilience, and unwavering determination.

At just 16, her dreams were cut short. When her grandfather—her sole caretaker—passed away, and her mother remained jobless, she was forced to drop out of school. With no other options, she migrated to Nakuru and took up work as a house help, moving from one household to another in search of survival. After years of instability, she finally secured a factory job processing mosquito coils, offering her a glimmer of stability and purpose.

While working at the plant, she met a coworker who won her heart, and at 26, they started a life together in his home village in Siaya. Their marriage was blessed with four children, and for a while, life felt stable and fulfilling.

However, tragedy struck when her husband passed away. Suddenly, she found herself isolated and vulnerable, with no means of support. Her grief deepened when her husband’s brothers attempted to claim her as part of their late brother’s property, pressuring her to conform to a tradition she could not accept.

Determined to escape, she fled back to Kakamega’s Al-Karim slums, where she left her children under their grandmother’s care while she sought work. Just as she was beginning to rebuild her life, her health deteriorated.

By 2008, mysterious pain overwhelmed her body, forcing her into a six-month hospital stay. Doctors were unable to provide clear answers, and many around her believed she was facing death. Her weight dropped drastically to 35 kilograms, leaving her frail and weak.
For a decade, she battled through the pain without answers. In 2018, after extensive tests, she was diagnosed with a terminal illness. While the news was devastating, Shistuswa refused to let it define her. With sheer determination, she committed to her treatment, taking her medication consistently and rebuilding her health.

Through her relentless positivity, she defied expectations, transforming from a fragile, underweight woman fighting for survival to someone full of life and energy. “My appetite has even improved—I now eat like a pig!” she says, laughing.

As a beneficiary of Mama Ibado Charity, Shistuswa now receives food assistance, which has not only helped restore her nutritional health but also supported her medication adherence, prolonging her life.