KISII, Kenya, Dec 29 — The grief of losing a loved one is often worsened for vulnerable families by the challenge of affording funeral expenses.
For the family of Ndego Mbera in Boruma Village, Nyaribari Chache, this struggle became an unbearable burden as they were unable to raise the funds needed to bury their son, whose body had remained at Mama Lucy Hospital mortuary in Nairobi for weeks.
Over the past month, the family had been unable to raise the Sh75,000 mortuary fees required to claim the body of their son, Ongeri Mbera, for burial.
Their plight, however, took a turn when Okeng’o Nyambane, a director at the Communications Authority of Kenya, stepped in to settle the mortuary fees.
Rachael Mbera, the deceased’s mother, expressed immense gratitude for the intervention, describing it as a relief amidst her pain.
“I was worried if I would ever bury my son,” she said.
Rachael, a widow struggling to educate her two daughters, recounted how her son had traveled to Nairobi in early November seeking employment.
Dead in the city
Days later, communication with him and his contact in the city abruptly ceased.
On November 22, the family’s worst fears were confirmed when they saw a post on Facebook circulating Ongeri’s ID card, indicating that his body was at Mama Lucy Hospital mortuary.
Efforts to raise the required amount from friends, family, and the community yielded only Sh35,000, leaving the family far from their goal.
“Living in poverty is a disease I wouldn’t wish on anyone,” said Rachael.
“I was worried about the shame of being unable to bury my son at home. But this time, God heard my prayers and sent me an angel. Now, I can finally bring his body home and lay him to rest.”
The family is now preparing to bury their loved one, with the support of the community.
Source: capitalfm
