Vibike Khatanga Lukamasai

Vibike Khatanga Lukamasai was born on June 16, 1985, in Mahira village, located in the Kabras area of Kakamega County. She grew up in a large family of eleven children, but over the years, three of her siblings passed away, leaving eight of them remaining.

Her father worked as a clerk, while her mother initially worked as a traditional doctor before moving on to work on the family farm. Later, her mother sought employment as a house help to make ends meet. Vibike was able to attend school and managed to complete her education up to the Form Four level.

In 2015, Vibike got married and moved to Iregi village to start her own home. Her husband initially worked as a construction ‘fundi’, but when building jobs became scarce and paid less, he shifted to working as a home helper tending to cows for a better chance at daily wages. As that work also slowed down, he had to take up cutting grass just to find any quick manual labor that could bring in some cash.

Together, they have two children who are twins, currently studying in Grade 3 in Amalemba Primary School. Unfortunately, the family faces severe strain because Vibike's husband is a heavy drinker who spends most of the money he gets on chang'aa, leaving him with nothing to help raise the children or pay for their school expenses.

Currently, Vibike does not have any job or source of income, leaving her to depend entirely on the kindness of well-wishers to feed her children. Her health is also failing, as she is currently losing her eyesight from an eye condition and suffers from varicose veins that make it very painful to walk or stand.

The family lives in a small rented house that costs 1,000 shillings a month, an amount they are often completely unable to raise. Without a stable income, paying this rent and keeping up with school requirements for her Grade 3 twins has become a constant struggle.

Her situation became more stable when she joined Mama Ibado's programme on 7 January 2026. Every month she receives rice, tea leaves, sugar, milk, salt and cooking oil, which helps her put regular meals on the table for her children.

Every Thursday, she also receives medical attention for her eye condition and varicose veins. Vibike is deeply grateful to Mama Ibado and gives thanks for the help that has lifted her out of a very difficult life. Her health and strength have improved, and she says she is doing better.

Vibike still needs support to keep moving forward. Continued help from well-wishers and donors would allow her to get further treatment for her eyes and varicose veins so she can regain her health and mobility. It would also keep her twins in school and eating regularly. Finally, it could give her the chance to start a small business, which would bring her the independence she needs to support her children and build a stable future.