Kenya (MNN) — You never know what God will do with a conversation at a hair salon.
Barb* loved to tell her stylist about the widow she sponsored in Kenya. After hearing so many stories, the stylist decided to investigate one day. Walking into Kenya Hope’s office, she said, “‘[Barb] keeps talking about Kenya Hope and this widows program,’” Executive Director Joy Mueller says.
“‘I just wanted to come and see it for myself!’”
Widow’s Might
Kenya Hope started Widow’s Might, the widow sponsorship program, in 2017. “The program was born out of seeing this desperate need of widows in Kenya,” Mueller says.
“When a woman is widowed, the husband’s family often comes in and takes everything from her. Many times, she’s kicked out of her home, anything of value is taken; she’s just destitute,” she continues.
“These widows don’t have any schooling, so what are they supposed to do to support their family?”
Sponsorship provides a widow with food aid, job skills training, and more. See a complete description here. “First off, we get a Bible into [their] hands, so they’re getting that spiritual food, along with the actual food we give them each month,” Mueller says.
(Photo courtesy of Kenya Hope)
Kenya Hope’s two-year program empowers widows with both training and tools. Once a widow receives sponsorship, she “immediately begins getting food assistance every month, and starts being trained in different skills that will provide an income for her,” Mueller says.
“Depending on the location, we teach them [different] skills. We also teach the women about financing: how to set money aside, put it back into your business, [etc.].”
Sewing is one of the most successful job skills. It also supports Kenya Hope’s child sponsorship program. “We’ve been teaching them (the widows) how to sew the uniforms because [school] uniforms in Kenya are all handmade,” Mueller says.
“Our women in the program are now sewing the uniforms for all of our sponsored children.”
Find your place in the story
Remember Barb’s stylist from the beginning of this story? “By the time she walked out the door, that dear woman had paid the sponsorship for three widows for two years,” Mueller says.
Will you be a sponsor? Help change a widow’s life here.
“The widows are so grateful that someone is showering love on them, caring for them, and teaching them. We know they pray constantly,” Mueller says.
“Kenya Hope is lifted to the Lord by the prayers of the widows.”
*Pseudonym
Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of cottonbro/Pexels.
