The following story is from the African country of Lesotho. It is the story of Mathabo Nkakole, a 69 year-old woman who is caring for her eight orphaned grandchildren. When you're raising money for the 30 Hour Famine, please think about people like Mathabo and these children, and know that the funds you raise help provide food and basic care to families like this one.
“If this hungry season could just hit me alone, it would be better. But my soul bleeds when I look at these eight orphans that are left by my six children who died together with their spouses,” says Mathabo Nkakole, 69, helplessly.
Nkakole's soul is not only bleeding because of the loss of her six children to AIDS related illness, but because of the hunger that has hit her grandchildren. Due to her poverty, she is unable to help them. This is the triple face of the livelihood emergency that prevails in many poor households in Lesotho where families are hit by HIV and AIDS, chronic poverty and hunger.
“Sometimes we stay one or two days without food. That hurts me because I feel helpless as I have no means to assist these children from hunger,” says Nkakole who lives in a corrugated iron shack in the outskirts of Maseru in a place called Qoaling.
When you enter Nkakole’s household there is no mattress, blankets, stove, or candles. She has no food to feed her eight grandchildren. Even the ground water nearby is dried-up and therefore she has to buy water that she cannot afford from neighbours.
“It is tough; I need help, if you could help me to take some children to the orphanage home so that I may be left with the small number, maybe three children, that I can be able to look after,” appeals Nkakole. Three of the children attend primary school, while five are not in school.
“I need help and the first priority is food to feed my grandchildren,” requests Nkakole.
The orphans that are left from her different children range from ten years to two years old, but they are all about the same height due to malnutrition. The oldest children could be mistaken for being four years old due to their hunger. Often days pass without eating.
With the help of neighbours, the social welfare department is currently providing Nkakole with R100 (US$14.00) monthly that she uses to buy food.
“I use the money to buy 12.5 kilograms of maize meal, vegetables, oil and salt and the money finishes,” she says.
“The food I buy usually last for two weeks and after that we stay hungry or helped by our neighbours until another month end,” indicates Nkakole.
“Last month I was sick but I did not have money to go to hospital,” she says.
Her neighbour took her to hospital where the doctor said she was weak due to hunger and stress.
“My worry is what will happen to the children if I also die,” she wonders.
When Rethabile, 6, is asked what are his current needs are, he says, "I need food, I am hungry," with weak eyes.
World Vision Lesotho National Director Martin Silutongwe heard about Nkakole’s case and the office visited the household to assess the situation in order to determine what kind of help could be offered to the family.
“We are a partnership of Christians who are compelled by Christ to respond. Nkakole’s situation exemplifies the plight of many families. World Vision and other organizations have to respond to avert loss of life and prevent malnutrition at all costs,” says Silutongwe.
Other World Vision intervention during this food crisis include food aid distribution, seeds donation to the farmers, nutrition education, distribution of school uniforms to orphans as well as developmental relief where World Vision empowers household to establish key hole gardens to produce vegetables for nutrition and for income generation purpose.
“World Vision is a child-focused organisation, and therefore children's well being is our number one priority,” stated the World Vision Lesotho National Director.
“It is our vision that every child in Lesotho live life in all its fullness, therefore we believe that by assisting this household, the children will be able to eat nutritious meal and have strength to play and enjoy life in all its fullness,” Silutongwe adds.
World Vision donated food and other basic needs to the family in response to their immediate needs. That means that now, Mathabo can feed her grandchildren.
“I am very happy, I don’t have enough words to express my appreciation. May God bless World Vision and give you more so that you can reach so many needy people wherever they are,” acknowledges Nkakole.
“I'm happy because today I will eat my favourite dish of maize mill and milk,” says Rethabile.
Remember: every $30 you raise helps provide food and care for children like these.
One of Mathabo's eight grandchildren holds an empty food dish
Mathabo receives food aid from World Vision.