Breaking the Cycle of Poverty
Meet Mwende
Meet Mwende, a successful mother of 9 children and a participant in our Kizimani Family Unit Program. We are honored to be walking alongside her and eager to share her remarkable story—one of many that we are privileged to witness and would not have been possible without your faithful support.
Our journey with Mwende began in 2009 when we found her hopelessly trapped in a generational cycle of poverty that plagued her family. Like most young girls in her village, she was unable to complete high school and married young. She was unemployed, struggling with chronic illness, and carried the burden of caring for her alcoholic partner and teenage daughter with special needs. Although she nurtured her children to the best of her abilities, she could barely provide a single meal each day, much less afford tuition for their education. Mwende’s struggle to survive was devastating, and there was a strong likelihood that her children would lead similar lives, unable to reverse the cycle of poverty on their own.
It's been 11 years since Mwende started participating in the Kizimani Family Unit Program. She found community with other women struggling with similar issues and was able to break free from the shame of living with AIDS. Thanks to her sponsorship, Mwende enthusiastically participated in the life-skills training part of our program, which includes learning how to make “kitchen sack gardens." She now maintains multiple gardens and is excited to start sharing extra produce with her neighbors. Not only has Mwende been able to build a better life for herself and her family, but she is now a pillar of hope to others in her community.
Family Unit Program
The Kizimani Family Unit Program is designed to holistically address the varying needs of each participant, including food, healthcare, and empowering those living with the stigma of HIV/AIDS. Kizimani Field Coordinators work closely with the local community to engage with families who are struggling the most. Through these relationships, we learn about each family’s interests and passions while supporting their multi-year journey to achieving economic independence. Then we connect these families with a Family Unit sponsor whose $60 monthly donation serves to educate their children, feed the family, and provide support skills training for the primary caregiver, all of which help reverse the downward spiral of poverty.
Kizimani is grateful for all of our Family Unit sponsors who directly empower individuals like Mwende to restore their lives and create a pathway to self-sustained living for the next generation. If you would like to empower a family like Mwende’s, please contact us or visit kizimani.org for additional information.
Together, we are investing in healthy, sustainable communities.
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