How former street woman, mother of nine ended up working as a community health worker

Scavenging on rubbish dump sites for food and survival at the country’s capital, had been the norm for Peninah Wambui for over a decade. She used whatever tools fate hurled her way and embarked on a roller coaster to hell and back as she struggled to feed her nine children deep in the heart of Nairobi. One could easily locate Wambui at the KCC Umoja Cherina dumpsite as she lined up her children in search of food and also as a form of escapism. Wambui reveals that she was not always poised to become a human scavenger, however, life struggles, poverty and early marriage accelerated the path to the dumpsite. She recalls that she used to arrive at the dumpsite as early as 5 am so as to get waste food from hotels before the same could be mixed with dog food. Interestingly, Wambui said no one got sick as a result of eating such food saying the body had a way of adapting to the current situation. Born in Murinduku area at the border of Embu and Kirinyaga counties in 1974, Wambui’s journey seemed all but well until she dropped out of school while in class six, a decision she regrets to date. She narrated that she fell into a trap of love at a very young age where she conceived and decided to start her own family at the expense of furthering her education. Wambui reveals that she has never had a stable relationship with four of them failing as soon as it started, now she is acting as both the father and mother of the kids. And with the risks involved in street life, raising nine children was overwhelming on her adding that not having a known residence, her children would suffer. Her life would later change after being spotted by non-governmental organizations who saw a potential in her and offered community training to try and keep her off the streets. “I was trained on business, community health volunteering and location advisory council to deal with children, this was a turning point in my life,” said Wambui. She was taken through programs on how to care for the elderly and the sick in hospitals, a point she recalls grew a seed of aiding the less fortunate. Months later she moved to Wanyororo B, in Nakuru County to further her passion through taking care of the elderly and the sick. Through this program, Wambui has earned the name ‘Mother Theresa’ simply because her works have been recognized by the locals. “Apart from being a caregiver, I am a farmer, a businesswoman and a social worker, I am not where I am supposed to be but am still trying,” she said. Despite being passionate for the job, Wambui recognizes that there are some serious challenges she faces including balancing all the three jobs. In her weekly calendar, she has set aside every Friday for checking in on the elderly who have no one to look after them. To aid in her journey, she now wants the national and county governments through their relevant departments to join in and assist her in her job to reach more elderlies in Nakuru. She reveals that there has been a number of dissenting voices including her family who constantly tell her to assist herself first before moving out as she was a street woman before. “I want to be faithful to God so that he can be faithful to me, so whatever I am doing is all in line with what a Good Samaritan would do,” she added. In Bahati sub-county alone, raised concerns that the elderly had been abandoned by their families with some facing a tough time through abuse saying it is hard for them. She added that the elderly need love and affection and only open up to strangers who are willing to help and understand them. A number of locals in the area have slowly started appreciating her work with some allowing her to stay with their sick and elderly patients in hospitals. Jeremiah Mutahi whose wife was taken care of by Wambui while admitted in hospital said the latter has been of great assistance to the community. According to him, Wambui’s drive to assist the less fortunate is purely from the heart, adding that they never paid a single coin for the services. On her part Josephine Kanyi a Nakuru resident said Wambui has a passion for her work adding that for her to reach more people, she will require support. She added that the government can spot such persons in society and boost them in reaching a wide coverage. Leah Nyaruwai Munyua, an elderly who is also a beneficiary of Wambui’s social program, could not hide her joy in seeing her caregiver. She revealed that they have built a strong bond saying she considers her one of her children as she never goes hungry.

How former street woman, mother of nine ended up working as a community health worker

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How former street woman, mother of nine ended up working as a community health worker

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