Two widows in Rangwe Constituency have received newly built and furnished homes through a programme supporting vulnerable women in Kenya.
The homes were provided through the Widows Empowerment Programme, which operates under the patronage of Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo.
A spokesperson told TUKO.co.ke that the initiative supports widows through housing, financial assistance, livelihood activities, vocational training and mentorship.
Wilkester Akoth Nyamwala, 47, is a member of the Maisha Ngumu Widows Group in Kochia Ward. She lives with a disability that affects her mobility, making secure housing especially important.
“Her new home is expected to provide her with greater comfort and security,” the spokesperson explained.
The second beneficiary, 72-year-old Margaret Juma Okello, belongs to the Mango Tree Widows Group in Gem West Ward. Her house was handed over on Saturday, October 10.
It also lists social and legal support among its areas of work, has reached 377 widow groups in 13 counties over the past three years, and provided direct financial support to 22,620 widows.
It reports deploying more than KSh200 million and building 26 homes for widows across several counties.
The programme also says it has sponsored 601 students from widows’ families at Tom Mboya University, provided tree seedlings to 69 groups and donated more than 2,200 chairs to 44 groups.
Eight groups have received water tanks, while eight widows with disabilities have received wheelchairs or other mobility aids.
The initiative combines economic support with social assistance, aiming to improve conditions for widows and their dependants.
Its housing work has included furnishing homes, according to the programme’s published account.
The two women have different circumstances.Nyamwala’s mobility disability presents particular challenges in her daily life, while Okello is 72.
Their new homes are intended to give both women more secure places to live. The handovers add to the programme’s housing work in Homa Bay, where other widows have also received homes.
The initiative’s figures describe a wider effort that combines individual assistance with support channelled through organised widow groups.
