She has put her prestige and pride a side to take an initiative that is aimed at restoring hope to thousands of residents of Mathioya, in Muranga District who are struggling to live with a medical condition that has left most of them handicapped and many more have been exposed to poverty; while other have succumbed to jiggers.

The infection is attributed to poor environmental practices and personal hygiene. Through a close collaboration with AHADI Trust-a local non-governmental organization working to empower the villagers, she donated foodstuffs, antiseptics and offers counseling to families that live on the brink of abject poverty.

I took a journey, to familiarize myself with the first hand account of the problem which requires an a urgent response to address the problem. It is observed that civil society organizations (CSO) working in the area have no capacity to deal with this medical condition and only consolidated approached of stakeholders from the health sector and other service providers can make sense.
 
At Chui primary school, schoolchildren bear the brunt of the problem since most of them are unable to attend school due to their condition. In Kanjahi primary school 40 pupils are nursing wounds inflicted by jiggers. Despite the school having a population of 700 pupils, classes are often disrupted.
 
"We have many problems here and even, the free primary education is not fully exploited since families have to deal with the problem caused by jiggers, most of our students have jiggers and this affects normal class routines", said Mrs. Susan Gathera, head teacher.
 
Six -year old Peter maina is among the youngest student affected by the jiggers and despite his condition; he is determined to go to school. "The benefit of free primary education is not being felt by the pupils and parents in the affected areas are not sensitized to deal with the problem, we are working towards sensitizing them through counseling", said Celcila Mwangi.
 
There are no public health officers in the area to monitor the conditions of the affected families. Thanks to AHADI Trust which has a doo-to-door progeamme where affected families are also supplied with food rations.
 
Eighty four-years old Muya Kibotho is crawling to his death; he has been handicapped by jiggers which he has lived with for the past two years. However, his condition is no better than that of James Irungu, a 45 –year old man who is currently recovering after a local AHADI Trust offered to put him on therapy. However, his condition has been made worse due to poverty. 19 May 2007 - Evans Wafula

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