Sakali Zaitun Anota

Sakali Zaitun Anota was born in 1948 and has spent her entire life in Majengo. Her childhood was marked by family separation and hardship; her mother left when Sakali was still very young due to overwhelming difficulties, leaving her to be raised by her aunt and grandfather. Due to the financial struggles in the home, Sakali never had the opportunity to attend school. Instead, she grew up working casual jobs to help the family survive.

Her aunt arranged her marriage, and she settled down with her husband, with whom she had four children. However, tragedy struck when her husband passed away, leaving her as a widow with young children to raise alone. With no one to assist her, life became an immense struggle. Her children, now adults, also face unemployment and rely on casual jobs, meaning they are unable to support her financially.

To feed her family, Sakali had to resort to back-breaking labor. She cooked mandazi to sell, but when that wasn't enough, she turned to manually crushing stones (making ballast) to earn money. It was a physically demanding life, and hunger was a constant threat.

Desperate for support, she approached the Mama Ibado program. Initially, she was told she was not yet old enough to qualify. She waited and applied again later, and this time she was successfully registered.

Since joining, Sakali has benefited immensely from the food specifically designed for seniors. She receives a package containing rice, maize flour, sugar, and cooking oil. This food support has brought a sigh of relief to her household, ensuring she has something to eat without enduring the harsh labor she was used to. Regarding her health, while she is part of the program that offers medical support, her primary relief currently comes from the nutrition which restores her strength. The food allows her to rest her aging body, which has been worn down by years of crushing stones.

Sakali is deeply grateful to God and the donors. She prays that they continue to have the heart to give and that God grants them the strength to support the vulnerable. She remains in great need of this help because, at her advanced age, she is still forced to crush stones to survive whenever she lacks support, a task that is far too heavy for an elderly woman.