Beatrice Gicochi
Maker Mum and Ubuntu Life Inventory Manager
My name is Beatrice. I found out about Ubuntu in the year 2010 through my second born daughter who was suffering from meningitis – she desperately needed therapy. I used to take my daughter, Joy, for therapy and care at the Ubuntu Special Needs Centre because I was just a house wife and my husband was jobless. Getting our daily bread was a big struggle - what I was doing is to knock on my neighbors’ doors for any work to do – things like washing clothes, cleaning utensils, etc.
In July 2011 my life changed when our Kenya Director, Jeremiah, asked us (group of 10 mums who were taking children to school and going back home) “from today you will not be going back home after bringing your children to school - we have a huge order of products that we need to make, and with only 9 mums they couldn’t make it.” Waooh! To me was like God has answered my prayers. We joined the group of 9 mums and we helped in cutting and ironing since we didn’t have the skills of sewing. Then they helped to train us on how to sew during the weekends until we became perfect.
In 2012 my daughter Joy passed on. I worried that Ubuntu would send me back to the community because I no longer had a child with special needs. I had a lot of stress - I did not want to go back to the life that I used to live, where no one would bothered or cared about me and what I was going through. When our other founder, Zane, was visiting Kenya he called me over and gave me comfort. He told me that I am not going anywhere. This deeply sunk into my mind and I asked myself - who are those people showing all of this love that I didn’t get even from my family? I knew that the best way to pay back this blessing was through hard work.
Ubuntu trained us how to open bank accounts and savings from the salary we were paid. Since I didn’t have a place to live, I borrowed a loan from the bank and bought my first plot of land. Later I built my own house where I am living now with my family.
I even went back to school and learned to work with computers and Ubuntu promoted me from sewing to Inventory Manager and local sales of Ubuntu products. Now I am in school getting my diploma in business management.
Ubuntu is like a mother to me. If it was not for Ubuntu I couldn’t be the person I am today. I am now a respected woman in a community where people come for ideas.
At school, the kids are getting balanced diet, physical therapy and daily care, helping the Mums and the community understand that these children are a blessing from God -not a curse.
If it was not Ubuntu I couldn’t have a flight to US (I visited in October) – I never dreamed of visiting outside Kenya, especially not boarding an airplane. This is a story I could tell days in and days out.
Thank you very much our supporters you have changed my life from Zero to Hero - not only me but most of our Mums in Kenya.
You have saved our lives from shame to fame, we love you so much.
May God bless you and may you continue to support and transform the lives of many in our community.
Big love,
Beatrice
