UPDATE April 2024: Some of you are aware that I have been helping a small group of widowed friends in Kenya for quite a few years now. They are now seven families I have come to know well. It is not a formal charity. Mostly friends and professional contacts have supported me in doing this. I usually have a fund drive two or three times a year. However, the need for these families is ongoing. The next appeal isn’t happening for a while, but modest donations or pledges are welcomed at any time. I have done my best to help when able and the recipients in Kenya have worked hard to find solutions to their own situations. Nonetheless, there are frequent setbacks because jobs are not easy to get there and these families often face housing and food crises.
I don’t want to overburden my generous friends and donors by asking all the time. Doing a fund drive is also quite time-consuming, so I try not to do it too often. Quite honestly, I just don’t have the time. The next formal appeal isn’t scheduled for a while, but that doesn’t stop the emergencies from happening. Food is scare for some. Rent money just isn’t there for others.
When people struggle to find money for daily necessities, rent is often not paid and evictions by Kenyan landlords are common. Renters have little legal protection and often, landlords will lock up the properties and sell a family’s personal belongings to recover some, or all of the rent money owed. Your donations have helped keep a few families in their homes , or helped to find new places for them to live. Yet when jobs are scare and some employers don’t pay for prolonged periods, housing insecurity keeps happening for some.
A few of my kind donors have contributed a lump sum amount for the year and have asked me to hold onto the contributions in a separate account. That has really been great. It has has enabled me to provide modest assistance sometimes when a special need has occurred suddenly. I also send modest donations of my own, as needed.
DONATIONS IN ANY AMOUNT, or MONTHLY PLEDGES ARE ALWAYS WELCOMED. YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT FOR A MORE FORMAL FUND APPEAL, IF YOU DON’T WANT TO. YOU MAY ALSO HELP BY SHARING THE MESSAGE, OR BOTH? (NO AMOUNT IS TOO SMAL). MY DONORS KNOW I SEND EVERY PENNY OF EVERY CONTRIBUTION AND THERE IS NO OVERHEAD. I DON’T KEEP ANY OF IT, THOUGH I MAY HOLD ONTO A SUM FOR A BIT, TILL I HEAR OF A SPECIFIC NEED. HOWEVER, IF ANY OF YOU PREFER TO SEND YOUR GIFT DIRECTLY, I CAN ALSO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THAT.
Every day we see news coverage of wars, natural disasters and other tragedies. Most of us have angst and great compassion about the things that are happening all over the world. Many of us are connected to certain areas and have our favorite places where we prefer to help, whether in our own countries or abroad. There is so much suffering. We have the horror in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine, as well as earthquakes, tornadoes, bridge collapses, etc. There are so many awful things happening that some of us perhaps feel numb and almost get used to these things. I hope we never become so complacent that we just don’t care, even if we are unable to help financially.
Kenya isn’t one of those places we see or hear about at this moment, but I have friends there, widows and their kids of various ages, who are truly struggling. You definitely make a difference by helping them. The modest fund drives are one of the things I do to cheer myself and to try to bring some cheer to my widowed friends in Kenya. Even a small contribution can at least put some food on the table. It also gives these women and their families hope to know that strangers so far away actually care about them and want to help.
They are not just anonymous people to me. My Kenyan friends and I share stories, troubles and triumphs. We communicate often via What’s App, video and voice messages and photos. Knowing them has enriched my life.
Donations can be made via Venmo, Paypal (a small amount will be taken out by PP) or directly to me via check if you are someone I know personally. Contact me via direct message on FB to find out how to send, or email to
ir**@vi*******************.com
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Every penny goes directly to the recipients. I promise that (except if you donate on PP, I think and I will make up that charge) and there is no overhead, no operational costs, because it’s just me, Iris, trying to assist, with your support. It’s not an NGO or official charity. If you passing this appeal on to others, please do let them know that you know me too. It helps encourage and reassure people!
This past year has been another particularly difficult one because they have suffered from inflation, as we have. You all know about how bad inflation has been where you live. With increases in costs of food, rent, etc. it has been that way in Kenya too, but their resources are far less.
How We Have Already Helped
We have averted some evictions, as noted above.
Most of of the women come from very poor families that cannot bail them out of these crises. Some were completely rejected by the families of their late husbands after their deaths. They have nowhere to turn.
We have (together) purchased clothing for some of the children who most needed it and school books. We have helped when we could with some tuition payments, or partial payments, with rent, medicine, hospital bills, and even some birthday surprises. A few of the children were terribly disappointed that they could not go on school trips. With our donations, they were able to go.
We have also helped to set up very small business ventures. Covid ruined most of the plans and often these are temporary anyway, to earn a few dollars. It is still enterprising of them and they do all they can to better their circumstances. One woman does catering when able to get jobs. She was unable to buy the supplies needed to prefer food for the event, so I sent money a couple of times. She hopes to be able to build this business one day and maybe to purchase a small piece of land for herself and her kids. Two others found work in hospitals that didn’t pay them for many, many months at a time and then let the employees go.
I believe in all of these women, because they know how to find their inner resilience and they have faith. It is my great personal privilege to do what I can to keep believing in them and to encourage their hopes and dreams.
Most of the widows don’t have jobs. Even when they do, the salaries barely cover the basics. Jobs are not easy to come by in Kenya, unless you are well connected, well educated, or just plain lucky. Some do laundry, or make chapatis to sell to construction workers when they have a few coins to buy the supplies to make them. These things don’t sustain them for long.
One woman tried selling veggies at a roadside stand, but they spoiled too fast. She is now trying to sell baked goods and simple snacks when she has money to buy the ingredients. We have helped with this too. These are all women who want to work and to help themselves in any reasonable way. They are not looking for charity. Yet they have tremendous gratitude when they are offered help.
The Mothers’ Dreams
Here’s another example are how I assist with your support. These mothers’ dreams rest on their kids. They are the same as us in wanting better lives for their children. They want them to be educated and to have opportunities they never had. They also hope their kids, when educated, will help the family and most often, they do.
At the end of 2023, two lovely young women graduated from University. Not only are their mothers so proud, (as am I) but they have such high hopes that there will soon come a turning point for their whole families. They feel things will get easier, due to their daughters’ abilities to help out. One has waited many months for her diploma and still hasn’t received it. She has applied for jobs. Nobody will hire her in her field of study till she has proof of having graduated.
One family struggled to pay the expenses and fees due before graduation, but managed it and didn’t ask for any help. I know what a feat this was for her to scrape the money together. The other also didn’t ask and then finally shared how sad it was and how disappointed and even depressed the young women was. They had only a few days to come up with the graduation fees and money for her cap and gown. If they could not pay the final fees, she would not be permitted to graduate for another full year. Can you imagine? Yet I also knew they were already behind on their rent. At that point they had exhausted every possible avenue for help from among friends, neighbors, etc. How could I not say yes? It wasn’t even much money from our point of view here.
New Grad’s Lovely Letter To Me
“Dear American granny,
I cannot thank you enough for the tremendous help you’ve provided. Your support has brought me immense joy, and I am truly grateful for your kindness. Your assistance has made a significant impact on my life, and I can’t express how much it means to me.
Thank you for your kind words and may the Almighty God bless you abundantly for all you’ve done for me and my family. You’re truly a heaven sent.
Much love,
Your granddaughter– M.”
I have been astonished at how many of you have helped. Remember, even a small donation is amazing and appreciated. Some of you have made pledges too, and have said you will give once a month or every-two . That would be great, but please work out a system because I don’t have time to remind you.
Remember, if I know you, you may send me checks. You may also pay by Venmo or Paypal. DM me for the info you require, or with any questions not covered here. If you are sending a check, please dm me so I know, in case it doesn’t arrive quickly and I need to advance the funds.
If you can’t give and you are prayerful people, please pray for all and maybe please , not just for your own kind. Many of us are depressed, even angry. We may not be able to change the terrible things happening all over the globe, but we do need some positive things on which to focus, at least for a bit.
Maybe helping in whatever way you can is a way to feel better, in addition to making a difference for these folks, these friends of mine. It’s a win-win to me.
Here are a few more photos . The Grandma shown above, a widow in her mid to late 80’s and has raised her granddaughter since she was a toddler and lost her parents in a car crash. She has given permission to use her picture. Her granddaughter , now a young adult, cares for her so lovingly, but they have so little. I also have permission to post one of the delightful little boys who sends me such cute voice clips and likes to show me his report cards. A couple of the photos are just from the Internet and free to use.
