Grandmothers of Kenya Cow Project by Janine Maxwell, Vice Pres., Heart for Africa
When I “feel like” eating chicken my options are endless. Do I buy a pre-roasted chicken at Costco or do I roast one myself? Do I eat Chicken Mcnuggets at McDonald’s or go to the favored Chik-fil-A for my choice of 30 different options of Chicken.
When the Grandmothers of Kinangop, Kenya wanted to have chicken it took a lot of hard work and prayer. Can you imagine PRAYING for a chicken? In fact, this group of 31 Grandmothers has been meeting since May 2005 to pray for things like their grandchildren, their health and yes, chickens.
These Grandmothers range in age from 40 – 95 years old, in the country of Kenya where the life expectancy is 47. Each and every one of them has lost their husband to AIDS. Many of them are HIV positive. All of them have buried children to AIDS and are now the sole provider for 3 – 7 grandchildren each… on $51 US per year.
In 2005 when their situations became impossible they decided to go to the One who gives hope to the hopeless. They met every Wednesday night at the local orphanage to pray. They prayed for health, for their Grandchildren, for work and for food. One day one of the women decided that they must all pray for chickens. They would have a goal of buying one chicken for each of them – 31 in total. They would do extra work, bring a few shillings each week to their prayer meeting and celebrate when they had enough.
It “only” took 8 months of extra back breaking work in the fields to collect and save enough money (despite extra funeral costs and monies for unexpected illness and medicine) to be able to buy 31 chickens – one for each of theses 31 faithful and prayerful grandmothers.
Oh what a day that must have been! A day of celebration. A few weeks or months of fresh eggs and then a celebration dinner with meat for all to eat!
And now they have a new goal, one that might be fulfilled in a different way, a goal that YOU could help them achieve. These Grandmothers are getting older, more sickly and will die one day soon and want to leave an inheritance to their grandchildren.
Their goal now is to save enough money for one cow each - a good milking cow that will provide milk for their grandchildren and a small income to buy other food – maybe even another chicken one day. Truly an impossible goal.
Can you help them? Heart for Africa would like to bring those 31 grandmothers 30 cows and a bull in July when we travel there. We are committed to working with the home and the community to develop a self-sustainable program for these women so that they can raise more cows, have more milk and have hope for the future of their grandchildren when they are gone.
We need to raise $500 x 31 to buy good dairy cows and deliver them to that community. It will be a surprise that the community will never forget. What a wonderful Mother’s Day gift or gift for your own grandmother.
And to all you grandmothers who can give, we ask you to help a fellow sister in Africa who is working night and day to save the lives of her own grandchildren. Imagine.
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BIOGRAPHY OF THE 30 WOMEN
THEY ARE LOCALLY KNOWN KARAI WENDANI WOMEN GROUP (the descriptions are a little hard to translate, but you’ll get the gist.)
- Mary Wangari Njoroge Age 40 yrs-Husband died
Three older children with no jobs
Two younger ones Ages 12-14yrs
She is a H.I.V Aids victim she lost her sight dur to this problem. She has a lot of problems to be solved and she have no helper. Her daughter dropped out of school to cater for her mother
2 Ruth Wanjiru Murima Age 70yrs
She was left with one grandchild , her daughter died of HIV AID . She has a lot of problems and she doesn’t have a good source of income. The child is Ruth Wanjiru Njambi 12 yrs std 6. The granny has a problem of back so even her walking is in problem.
3. Ann Nyambura Michael-Husband Michael Maina alive 28yrs. This couple takes care of one child whose mother & father died of HIV AID. They also have a lot of problems since she depend on labouring in rich people’s gardens and still they are HIV Positive. They doesn’t have a cow to cater for their children . Their children are:
-Richard Njagi 4yrs Nursery school
-Milka Wangui 2yrs
-Cecilia Muthoni orphan 13yrs std 7
4. Hanah Njeri Kanja Age 38 yrs-Husband died left behind 3 children ages 9 months to 11yrs. She has a lot of problems since her source of income is with a lot of hardships. She doesn’t have a recommendable house she depend on labouring in other people’s gardens. Her children are :
-Judy Wambui 11yrs Std 6
-Robert Mwaura 8yrs std 2
-Stephen Kanja 9month
- Rakeli Wanjiru Njagi Ages 57yrs. She is a widow left by her husband due to H.I.V. AID . She lost her hearing . She was left behind with 2 children by her grandchildren . Her sources f income are not stable since she doesn’t have a permanent source of income
-Sammy Kahiu 17yrs Form 4
-Richard Njagi 10yrs std 6
6. Jane Wangechi Mwangi ages 49. She is a single mother with a problem of Asthma . The disease has worn her away since she live in cold places where she doesn’t have otherwise. She doesn’t have a good source of income and she have to get her medicine each months and doctor’s appointment and fare is needed. Her children are:
-Ben Kiarie 14 yrs Std 7
-Hanah Wanjiru 12yrs Std 6
-Samuel Mwangi 17yrs Form 4
7 Jane N Githui –age 39 yrs her husband Duncan Githui is alive but HIV positive. Her Children are:-
-Kennedy Kihanya 15yrs std 8
-lawrence Ngari 14yrs std 7
-Samuel Kinundu 7 yrs std 2
She is the secretary of this group has three children as mentioned above, she is financially poor since we are jobless. Has no reasonable house . Her husband need assistance to complete the new house their began and monthly bus fare to get A.R.V’s and medical appointment.
8 Veronicah Wambui Ages 76 yrs single aged grandmother who takes care of 12 grandchildren (orphans) , her 3 daughters died of H.IV. Virus. Now the grandmother seems to be totally depressed due to problems. She depend on borrowing or labouring in rich peoples gardens in older to bring all this children up : Those are:
-David Ndung’u Wanjiru 19yrs form 4
-Samuel Kimani Wanjiru 9yrs Std 5
-John Ng’ang’a Mumbi 14yrs 14 yrs std 8
-Samuel Kimani Mumbi 10yrs std 4
-Veronicah wambui Mumbi 6yrs std 1
-Mary wanjiru Mumbi 2yrs
-Samuel Kimani Gathoni 20yrs jobless
-Jecinta Wangechi gathoni 15yrs std 8
-Benard murimi Gathoni 11yrs std 3
-Francis Mwangi Gathoni 7yrs std 1
-Mary Wanjiru Gathoni 3yrs
-Muthoni Gathoni 18yrs form 3
9 Margaret Wairimu Age 50
She is an aged single mother with three children, one of her daughters run away and left behind two children these are:
-Serah Wairimu 9yrs std 3
-Mary Njoki 13 yrs std 4
She hired a house to well wishes, she depend on working in people’s gardens , in order to cater for these children.
10 Julia Wanjiru Age 40
Single mother with 7 children , two married others are still with her and jobless one daughter was sent away by her husband and she have children with her mother. The children are
-Monicah Wambui- std 7 13 yrs
-Peter Kagicha-std 5 10 yrs
-Rose Wambui
-Jeremiah Kuria
-Dorcas Wanjiku
-Mary Nyokabi
Hanah Njeri
She has a lot of problems since all this family depends on her and she depend on laborer. Her sources of income are very scarce, she also doesn’t have a good house.
11. Esther Wangari Nyoro Age 44yrs
Her Husband is alive, there have two orphans they take care of, and those are:
-Mary Gathithi 7yrs Std 1
-Isaac Kamau 9yrs std 2
They are poor financially, she also have her children in school are follows:-
-Peter Macharia 18yrs std 8
-hannah Njoki 17 yrs std 8
Daniel Mwangi finished std 8 and is jobless
12 Jemimah Wambui ages 45yrs-husband died through road accident
-has 3 children and 1 groundson to take car of. Children under her car:-
-Samuel Nyoro -17yrs form 4
-Jimmy Njoro -10yrs std 5
She gets sick now and then and has been attending hospital (Clinic) for medical attention in Nairobi
13 Zipporah Wamaitha –husband died due to HIV virus now Zipporah is a widow left with children are follows:-
-Joseph Waigi 16yrs Std 8
-Willie kamau 11yrs std 6
-Faith Wangui 8yrs std 3
-Kennedy Mwangi 5yrs
She is poor and doesn’t have a good house. She is always in hard labour inorder to bring her children up and educate them.
14 Margaret Wangechi age 60
She is an aged grandmother , her husband died twelve years ago , she is effortless to earn her living and she doesn’t have any supporter.
15. Hanah Wanjiku Kahiri age 65, single aged grandmother, left behind with two children these are:-
-Eric Kamau 13 yrs std 7
-Kevin kimathi 10 yrs std 5
Hanah doesn’t have a source of income, she even doesn’t have a cow to milk for the children. She depends on casual labourer since she does not have otherwise. Her house is not in good shape.
16. Julia Njeri
Single mother with 4 children these are:
-Gladys Waceke 15 yrs Form 1
-Simon Ngucu 8 yrs std 4
-Isaac Wanyoike 16yrs under course
-Miriam wanjiru 18yrs jobless
She has all this burden to bring up her children and to cater for them . She is poor, she stays at her father’s shamba , she depend on cashier labourer
17. Esther Wanjiru Kiburu age 43yrs –husband died of HIV AIDS- Esther is also affected and now living under A.R.V’s she was left with four children those are:
–Cecilia wairimu 14yrs std 7
-Mikelina wangui 12yrs std 7
-Hanah njeri 10 yrs std 4
-Florence Wanjiku 6yrs std 1
She is poorly and she needs support to cater and educate her little children, she doesn’t have a good building
18 Emmah Wanjiru-her husband died . She was left with three children those are:
-Gidraffe Mwangi 18yrs Form 2
-Simon Kiunuhe 17yrs std 8
-Ruth Murigi 12yrs std 6
She work in a public nursery school where she never gains a good pay. She is sometimes denied her salary for she is a widow she doesn’t have a recommendable house (Kitchen) and she earns less to cover all her problems.
19 Grace Muthoni Githuku –husband died
She is now a widow with 4 children . those are
-Phillis Nduta 16yrs Form 4
-Cecilia Wairimu 13yrs std 8
-Ann Njeri 9yrs std 4
-Winnie Wanjiru 1yrs
She is affected with HIV AIDS she needs support to cater and educate all this children and feed them. She is jobless.
20 Mary Muthoni Gatundu age 58 yrs
Single aged mother left with 2 grand children aged 5 and 10yrs. She is not well financially and one of the grand children is affected by heart disease. The hospital are demanding a lot of money which she is not able to raise, which makes her very stressful.
21 Leah Nyambura Mwangi –husband died . now a widow left behind with children those are:-
-Ephantus mbugua 18yrs finished std 8
-Antony Wanderi 14yrs std 8
-Francis Thumbi 12 yrs std 7
-John Muriithi 9 yrs std 3
She is now living with HIV virus . she is poor financially. She is a popular labourer of the area so whenever work is got she is called for. She need any help from well wishers for even her house is not in good condition.
22 Milka Muthoni – she died of HIV ?Aids , she left behind orphans those are
-Joseph kang’ethe- married but jobless
-John karuga -Job less
-chege -job less
These orphans are catering for their aunt’s orphans who died before their mother Milka. These are:
Joseph Kang’ethe 14 yrs dropped out of school
John Karuga 12yrs std 7
These orphans have a lot of problems which are not explainable.
23 Rose Wambui –single young mother, living with HIV virus she is a mother of two girls these are:
-Lucy Wanjira 4yrs nursery
-Judy Wanjiru 9yrs std 4
Her financial resources are from washing rich people’s clothes, labourer in gardens. She is financially poor because she needs a stable source of finance in order to bring up her two children, eating well dieted food and fare to get her A.R.V’s and appointments (doctor’s) each month.
24. Margaret Njeri Nyoro, she is a single aged mother, she has three children those are:
-Esther Wambui std 6 12yrs
-Evan Kariuki std 1 7yrs
-George Nyoro Nursery 4 yrs
She depend on being a maid in rich people’s homes in order to bring her children up and cater for their needs.
25. Hannah Wangechi Joel –husband died, she is a widow left with two children these are:
-John Gitonga 9yrs std 2 with chest problems
-Joyce Wairimu 7 yrs , she is a HIV AID victim also her child, she is very poor since her husband left her without a permanent house she need a support from well-wishers
26 Grace Njeri-single mother with three children these are
-Serah Njeri- married
-Baara –finished his form 4 but jobless
-Kimemia std 3 9yrs
She is a jobless mother without a good source of income. Given somewhere to live by her brother.
26. Teresiah Nyambura- age 45 –husband disappeared, she was left with 3 children these are:
-Lydia Wambui-returned by her husband
-Peninah Wanjiru-affected by epilepsy-21yrs
-Rose Waithira 14yrs std 8
-Simon Mbuthia 10yrs std 5
Teresiah has suffered a lot of problems since her husbands disappearance her daughter Peninah needs money at every month to for bus fare and medical appointments. She doesn’t have a permanent place she hires houses, she depend on labourer in rich peoples gardens , she doesn’t have any source of income. Her divorced daughter also have three children , the family has a lot of problems.
28 Josephine Nyambura –Age 56 yrs, single aged mother with three children these are:
-Kimemia
-Ndiki
She is effortless since she has problems of her hands joints. She do nothing to earn her living she is catered by well-wishers.
29 Jecinta Mumbi Wambui-Died
Left behind four children due to HIV /aids those are:
-John Ng’ang’a Mumbi 14yrs std 8
-Samwel Kimani Mumbi 10yrs std 4
-Veronicah wambui Mumbi 6yrs std 1
-Mary Wanjiru Mumbi 2yrs
They are brought up by their grandmother Veronicah Wambui Ng’ang’a
30 Ruth Njoki Gachuhi –husband died of HIV and left behind children
31 Beatrice Wangari –Husband died
She transferred from Kinangop to Lamu at the coast of Kenya therefore data not included as she no longer live with us
