A dying father and his children live in extreme poverty in Kakamega County, Kenya

A father of five children and a widower, he is known simply as Hudson in his village. His eldest child, an only girl is 13 years old. The youngest child is about three years old. Hudson hails from Lirhanda Sub Location, Shinyalu Division of Kakamega County. He has been the sole breadwinner of his family. A role he is unable to fulfill due to Throat Cancer, diagnosed in its late-stage late last year. Hudson is at home, without access to any palliative care.

Until recently, the family of six lived in a two-roomed shack. One room doubled as a kitchen and a bedroom for the boys, and the other as Hudson’s bedroom. The shack leaks heavily when it rains if, in the night, the family must wake up to shelter in a corner. In case of a heavy downpour, Hudson and his children must collect and throw out the rainwater, to protect the shack from flooding. Hudson’s daughter spent the nights in a house purportedly belonging to an old male relative.

Hudson's house: Photo by Loy Maviala

Hudson’s shack has since collapsed because of the rains. He and his four sons are crammed in the tiny living cum kitchen room, which also serves as a bedroom for all five of them. Hudson sent his daughter and the youngest son to live with a married niece in another district.

Recently, I am a member of, the Kakamega Women of Vision Association (KAWOVA) decided to mobilize resources to construct a three-bedroom semi-permanent house for Hudson and his children. Other than the house, the family lacks food, basic household items, such as utensils, cooking pots, sleeping facilities, water containers, and chairs. Hudson did not have access to land for KAWOVA to construct the house. So, KAWOVA mobilized the community and local authority to ensure Hudson’s elder brother allocated him a piece of land. KAWOVA is also keen to prevent plans to send Hudson’s ten-year-old son to a Juvenile jail, purportedly due to behavioral problems.

After successful subdivision of land : Photo by Loy Maviala

As for the children’s schooling, their teachers have been providing them with basic school supplies, such as pens and exercise books, an arrangement that is not sustainable. Primary school teachers in Kenya are poorly remunerated. My sister has much earlier been assisting Hudson and his Children with food, sleeping facilities, and utensils. While visiting Hudson in January this year, she observed that the mattresses she had donated were missing. I explained to her, people could sell their only belongings to buy food or medicines in situations of extreme poverty. Here is Hudson, he permitted publication of his situation.

It will give Hudson a peace of mind if he dies knowing that his children have a piece of land, they will call their own, with an improved shelter and that the children will not be separated. The construction of the three-bedroom semi-permanent house will cost KAWOVA about 150,000 Kenya Shillings (US$ 1,500). Contributions have been mainly in kind, in the form of iron sheets, bags of cement, nails, windows, doors, wooden posts, carpentry services, ballast, sand. An elderly woman, herself poor, decided to sell her trees worth US$100 at a 70% discount as a contribution towards Hudson's house.

Small or big any help can reduce the impact of extreme poverty on children. Individuals and Groups, as caring communities can protect vulnerable children from extreme poverty wherever such children are.