KAMRONGO, Kisumu East -For years, the rains did not bring relief but they brought ruin.
Mud walls that could not hold. Roofs that stopped pretending to keep water out. A cycle of patching, praying, and watching the next storm undo it all.
But on Saturday, that story changed for four elderly widows in Kamrongo village.
Mathilda Adongo, 82 years; Wilfrida Abong’o Shikuku, 70 years; Angeline Opudo Amino, 87 years; and Rose Atieno Ong’udi, 73, received keys to newly constructed houses under the Widows Empowerment Program, an initiative led by Interior Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo.
There were no campaign songs. No long political speeches. Instead, men of God led prayers and dedications at each doorstep. With tears flowing freely others stood silent, running their hands over doorframes that felt, for the first time like theirs.
“This is a powerful gesture,” said Peterlis Ogendo, the local program coordinator. “These women can now live a dignified life.”
He said plans are underway to continue scaling up the program to reach many more needy cases.
The handover took place in Kolwa East ward, where community members gathered not as crowds, but as witnesses. Ogendo later appealed to residents to support the widows not only with housing but also with foodstuffs and daily essentials.
The need, local coordinators say, remains overwhelming. Dozens of requests still sit on file. Many widows in the area continue to live in structures that collapse or flood with every heavy downpour.
Beatrice Amondi, UDA Kisumu County Vice Chairperson and candidate for the woman representative position, described the situation as life-changing.
“They have lived in deplorable conditions,” Amondi said. “With the rainy season here, the situation would have worsened if not arrested by this noble course.”
The Widows Empowerment Program, according to organisers, is not a one-off housing project. Under PS Omollo’s patronage and the leadership of program director Victor Ayugi, it includes economic support, legal aid, mental health services, and community-based follow-ups.
UDA Kisumu County chairperson Ayugi Mbuta, who attended the handover, pointed to other ongoing infrastructural developments in the region like the 22 road network the SGR extension and the ADB-funded sewerage systems.
“Today is about these four women and the positive impact this program will create in their lives,” he said.
By the time the prayers ended and the last blessing was spoken, the widows had already begun moving into their new homes that were fully furnished with household items.
