ASHA GODANA

My name is Asha from Ngare Mara in Isiolo County. I am a widow, a mother of six children and I am pregnant with my seventh child. My husband died after battling Covid-19 for three weeks. Before his death, he provided food, shelter, clothing, and school fees for our children. Two weeks after his burial, my in-laws invaded our home, took all our livestock and the few household items we had, leaving us homeless and hopeless, with no-one to provide for us. Owing to the situation, I developed severe pains in my lower stomach, and had headaches and backache. I could not afford to go to the hospital since I had no money. My life has been a nightmare as I tried to endure all these difficulties alone, without my dear husband. We have been sleeping in the cold, not having any blankets to protect us from the harsh weather and we are at risk of contracting pneumonia. We are also at risk of being attacked by wild animals. This situation made me beg from one house to another in an effort to fend for my six children. That was when I met Habiba.

The Goat Project team rescued us, and even secured a place for us to stay as we gathered materials to put up a makeshift house. They also bought us some food and a few non-food items. I was enrolled as one of the beneficiaries of the Widows’ Goat Project and as soon as we moved into our new house, we received two goats from overseas social services. My youngest sons, Abdul and Guyo, take turns to take care of the two goats every day. In the evening, they hug the goats before they put them in their shed. The boys do so with love on their tiny faces. One goat is pregnant, and we are very excited because we will be able to get milk for our daily consumption and to sell the surplus to our neighbors and in the nearby market. Thank you for touching my life at my weakest point when I was poverty-stricken and anguished in misery and darkness. Thank you very much for making us happy and for giving me a second chance to own a home.