Mali

Mali is a resilient and active 77-year-old woman living in Katuuni, Kenya, where she resides in a brick home with a metal sheet roof. She takes great pride in keeping her surroundings tidy and finds joy in sweeping her compound each day. To help support her family, she remains actively engaged in rain-fed farming, working hard to contribute to her household despite her advanced age.

As an elderly matriarch, Mali lives alongside a large, loving family that includes her daughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. The household relies entirely on small-scale farming and occasional casual labor to feed all 14 family members, which poses a severe challenge due to the frequent droughts and unpredictable rainfall in the region. Because her daughter bears the heavy burden of being the sole breadwinner for such a large multigenerational family, the sponsorship program provides a critical lifeline, offering essential nutritional support, healthcare access, and the stability needed to ease their daily economic hardships.

Sponsorship enables elders to eat well, access healthcare and medication, and connect socially with a community that fosters a sense of belonging. 

Birthday – January 1, 1949