Ten years ago, Mpayan left her husband to escape domestic violence. Since then, she has been raising her seven children with support from her father. Life was far from easy. Mpayan lived with her two youngest children, Esron and Isharait, in a small hut made of mud and reeds, while her other five children stayed with her father in a corrugated iron house.
“In heavy rain, we had to sleep in one corner of the house, it was very stressful,” says Mpayan. “I’m so glad that period is over.”
The family fetched water from a river or borehole nearly two kilometres away, and their pit latrine was on the verge of collapse. The little Mpayan earned from casual work often went toward house repairs, leaving little for food or school fees.
Mpayan enjoys a quiet moment with her children, Esron and Isharait, in the living room of their new house.
The Impact of a Home
Through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity Kenya, Mpayan’s situation changed. Her father donated a piece of land on which the community built a sturdy two-bedroom house, complete with a 2,000-litre water tank, a sanitation facility, and a garden where the family today grow their own food.
The difference has been felt in every aspect of daily life. With no more costly repairs to worry about, Mpayan can now pay school fees for Esron and Isharait. The water tank has eliminated the long, exhausting trips to the river, freeing the children to spend more time on their schoolwork. Most importantly, the family has a safe, clean, and comfortable place to call home — and Mpayan has the foundation she needs to build a better future for her children.