Hope prevails as kind-hearted young woman in Kenya overcomes challenges

Social media allows people to have friendships with people in countries all over the world. North Americans often wonder what our life here is like, in comparison with life overseas. It's hard to imagine living in a world where water is scarce, or where peace is elusive. Many of us don't fully understand what severe hunger and uncertainty over our survival feel like.
Dave is a Canadian who connected with 25 year old Naomy in Kenya, a country on the east coast of the African continent. The two began talking over Facebook and comparing their daily routines and the conditions in their countries. As they exchanged pictures and videos of their families, their food, their water source, and their living conditions, the differences in their world was both fascinating and surprising.Show more

Naomy supports her grandparents and a young child who was abandoned by his parents. She put her pursuit of education on hold to work and bring food home for her family. She rents a plot of land where she can grow enough vegetables to feed the others in her household, and also enough to sell at the local market so that she can buy the rest of the things that they need.

Noamy's grandparents are in their eighties but they continue to farm and raise animals that they rely on for food. The land is dry and the water is scarce, so their small property is barely able to produce a small portion of what they need. Naomy manages her little farm that is several hours from the family home. She grows corn, carrots, swiss chard, and other greens that can earn her a few dollars per day. This farm also provides employment and food for some of the children who live near her farm plot. Even with her hard work, there is no extra food. Yet, out of the kindness of her heart, Naomy took in a two year old child, Emmanuel, who had been abandoned by his parents. They faced incredible hardship and they ventured far away in search of work and a means to survive. Naomy has cared for her foster son for 9 years, feeding him and paying for his schooling. Her own parents had been unable to care for her and she was raised by her grandparents. Naomy wanted young Emmanuel to know the love and support that she was missing in her life.

As Dave watched the videos and heard the story of how hard Naomy works to care for her aging grandparents and her foster son, he could not help but be impressed with her determination, resilience, and her generous spirit. We take health care, education, and clean water for granted in our world while others struggle daily just to eat.

But among the hardship, there is hope. Naomy is a strong woman who works as hard as she needs to so that her family can thrive.