I divorced my husband five years ago and came back to my maternal home. I have six children who live with their father at Bombani village in Mtwapa. I was no access to the right to leave with my children. I built a one-room house five years ago which also serves as a kitchen. The room is full of suits and my clothes get dark sometimes. It also lacks privacy thus when my children visit me I lack a place to accommodate them. I do charcoal burning which gives me $30 per month. The money caters to food and school fees for my children at Bomani. I cannot build a spacious house. I will use $700 to build a two-room house that will be enough to accommodate my family whenever children come to visit me. My firstborn son is in class eight and will join form one next month. I will save $400 so that I get school fees for my son to join form one next year. I appreciate the Give Directly program and will elevate me from poverty.

I am a mother living away from the children. This happened after divorcing their father. They visit me when they close school at Bomani primary. Last year they never showed up. On December 2022 I had to visit them for one week. The period I was with my children was full of joy. Uniting with my children brings happiness in my life.

I divorced my husband five years ago and came back to my maternal home. He took all the six children we have. They come to see me during holidays only. As a mother staying away from my children is a challenge to me. Sometimes I have sleepless nights due to loneliness. This has affected me psychologically.