In 2010 and 2011 Agnes lost three of her children when they were adults and parents of young children. She had to take her grandchildren in as they were orphans. She was coping, but only just, and a neighbour referred the family to Tushinde in 2013.
The family was still really struggling. The eldest granddaughter now had a small baby, Joseph*, who was severely malnourished. The second grandson, Bernard*, aged 13 was out of school and being mistreated by an older youth; our social workers strongly suspected sexual abuse. There was also a son of Agnes’s who owned the house and was dependent on alcohol. It was not a safe or stable house for children.
Tushinde’s social workers intervened. Their priority was to ensure the baby had treatment for his malnutrition and that Bernard was safe. The social workers were able to locate Bernard’s paternal grandparents who were able to take him in and enrol him in a school near their rural home.
The remaining two grandchildren were enrolled in school and Agnes was supported to find accommodation with her grandchildren and great grandchild that was away from her son.
She explains how the support she got was of help to her:
“Nilikuwa napata pesa kwa simu, watoto wanalipiwa shule na pia tunapata chakula. Hii usaidizi ilikuwa ya maana sana kwa sababu sikuwa na kazi hio wakati — I was receiving cash transfer, my kids school fees was paid and at times received food donations. The help I received was so dear to me as it came at a time when I was jobless.”
After stabilising with the support Agnes got from Tushinde, she received a business grant which she used to become a greengrocer. In 2018 she successfully graduated from the programme. She says that the business has been her main source of income since then and the family is able to meet their basic needs.
She pays for one granddaughter’s boarding school fees. Her other granddaughter and Joseph still live with her and Joseph is doing well at school. Agnes says that Tushinde has been a part in transforming her life saying that she now has a happy home despite being so devastated by the loss of her children when they were in the prime of their lives.