A dark world is where Janet has been living in for the past couple of years, her eyesight having gradually dimmed and suddenly she was completely blind. Janet was married to an a physically abusive husband, a man whom he described as having caused her blindness.
Janet is a mother to two children, Lilian and Samuel. Janet separated from her husband and no longer stays with the father of her children due to their differences.
Janet’s husband would often get physical with her inflicting bodily pain on her. With Janet having a number of underlying health complications, she suddenly went blind, her eye cataract having lapsed.
A period later Janet also became partially deaf, which she believes was a result of one of the severe abuse episodes from her husband, adding another disability to her body.
Janet’s sister, Zindoli who also underwent physical abuse from her employer that caused her to be partially deaf quit her job as a house help in Nairobi City and traveled back to the village to assist her sister in various home chores and raising the children who were still young.
Zindoli assumed responsibility for taking care of her blind sister’s family, being at the homestead each day from dusk till dawn, assisting in cleaning, and also planting crops that they ate.
United Kenya Rising came to the family’s aid in 2018, as the sponsor of Janet’s child, Lilian. Lilian has since been receiving education support in school fees among other school requirements. She is currently pursuing an artisan course in beauty and hairdressing at Mutandi Polytechnic in Vihiga.
Having witnessed the situation at the homestead, United Kenya Rising stepped up to aid the whole family under the family care program, which is United Kenya Rising’s program that sees the whole family get support based on our five guiding stars; Education, Health, Livelihood, Basic needs (living conditions), and Agriculture.
“I would kneel before God and cry out to him every night to liberate my family from the extreme poverty conditions my children were living in. United Kenya Rising has truly been my light,” shared an enchanted Janet.
One can truly attest that the family’s life has tremendously changed with several forms of assistance they received. Their living condition has changed, enabling them to live a decent life.
Recently, United Kenya Rising, in partnership with Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology organized a free eye clinic that enabled people with eye conditions to get their eyes checked by qualified opticians.
Janet attended the clinic and surgery was recommended. The optician who checked her was positive that she could regain her eyesight once the operation was done.
“I wasn’t sure if my sister, with her underlying health conditions, could withstand the surgery. I was scared, but we had to try if it meant Janet could see her family again,” said Juliet.
United Kenya Rising paid for Janet’s eye surgery at the Kakamega Eye Care Hospital, and Zindoli nursed her sister during and after the procedure till Janet fully recovered.
The surgery was successful and Janet finally regained her eyesight. She was overjoyed. Being able to see Zindoli and her children again was a great blessing.
Regaining her vision is a dream come true for Janet. She was really shocked when she saw the cars in Vihiga and Kakamega towns on her way home from the hospital in a public transport van. Zindoli shares that she had to ask the driver to slow down the van, for her sister to marvel at everything she saw.
“Even though other passengers looked at us with questioning glances, I couldn’t get myself to be embarrassed. My sister being able to see me again was more than a gift,” narrated Zindoli with a smile.
Janet shared her immense gratitude for the support UKR has provided her. “Seeing Lilian all grown up is such a blessing. I am so grateful to United Kenya Rising who have walked with me through my darkest moments and they have made it possible for me to regain my eyesight,” said the ecstatic Janet.
Indeed, seeing is believing. With her vision, she can’t wait to start sewing, which is her talent, to keep herself busy and generate income to provide for her family.
