The sound of birds yelping and chanting as they weave a nest invites us to the lively Nduine village in Kirinyaga County.
The scintillating sounds of the birds, however, wane as we walk into the homestead of Joseph Wachira, a father of five.
Here, a cramped and deteriorating unhabitable timber house sits in a corner of the compound.
It is in this dilapidated house that Wachira and his family members have called home for years.
"I was once a builder. But My fortune changed after a work accident which left me with a broken hand. This made it impossible to continue providing for my family," Wachira said after welcoming us to his homestead.
Wachira has two children living with cerebral palsy, meaning they are in dire need of constant care.
The two, a 15-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy, have suffered from cerebral palsy since birth, making the family’s resources too meagre to cater for their daily needs.
Following the working accident, his wife, Anne, assumed the role of the family’s breadwinner and primary caregiver for their children.
They survive on subsistence farming.
But with medical needs and daily essentials like diapers, their resources are stretched beyond limits.
“My wife works tirelessly, but even essentials like diapers are out of our reach. Our 14-year-old daughter is bedridden and feeds up to two hours,” Wachira explained, with pain evident in her voice.
For Anne, the experience of standing in for his family has taken a toll on her.
While she is required to get out in order to earn something for the family, the needs of her children keep reminding her of the need to get back home as soon as possible.
“There is a loneliness that comes with this journey. I stay here around the clock because my children need constant care," she narrates
With these realities, the family had almost reached a breaking point.
But next to the dilapidated timber house where Kamau and his family live stands a beacon of hope.
An unfinished four-bedroom house next to the dilapidated timber house they have called home is promising them a better tomorrow.
The unfinished four-bedroom house that is at the roofing stage is a product of community goodwill led by area chief Bethrosa Wangithi Gachonde.
On the day we visited, the site was active with worker, a majority of whom were neighbours who came together to uplift the family.
"Our small, dilapidated wooden house was falling apart. It broke the Chief’s heart to see our children at risk of being exposed to the vagaries of weather," Anne narrates.
"The Chief and the community saw our struggles and decided to build us this house because we have two children living with disabilities," she adds as tears
Chief Bethrosa, a 52-year-old mother of two, has been the Chief of Ngaru Location since 2015.
She oversees three sub-locations: Gathaka, Kiamwenje, and Ngaru.
When she learnt about Wachira’s family, she immediately mobilized the community to come to their aid by giving them a decent shelter.
“This is not just about building a house,” the chief said.
“It is all about restoring dignity to a needy family and showing that we care for our own,” she adds.
With the community’s help, Bethrosa led the effort to build a safe, comfortable home for Joseph’s family.
The house was designed to meet the children’s needs, with features like wide corridors for wheelchairs and an open kitchen that allows Anne to keep an eye on her children while cooking.
A strict follower of the constitution, Bethrosa fully ascribes to the national values which behove every citizen to uphold patriotism, loyalty and unity, and wholeheartedly embraces development ideals.
Since taking office, 9 years ago, she has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of those in her community devoting her leadership to embodying uzalendo - Kenya’s spirit of true patriotism.
In addition to her regular administrative duties, Bethrosa, has championed various impactful projects, such as tree planting for environmental conservation.
Through this initiative, every community member who participated has received more than 300 trees, which they have planted at their homes as a tribute to her leadership.
Chief Bethrosa has also provided educational resources to children from low-income families and actively fought against the illicit alcohol trade in her area.
Moreover, she has fostered peace by building strong relationships between neighbouring communities, such as Baringo and Pokot, encouraging them to unite and construct a church together.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, her efforts took on a new direction.
With external projects on hold, Bethrosa and the community brainstormed ways to help those closest to them.
It was then that the idea of building a home for Joseph’s family was born. “
We gathered as a community and asked, ‘What can we do for ourselves? That’s when we decided to start building.” she passionately narrated.
The villagers rallied to contribute materials, labour, and time. Some brought tools, while others cooked for the workers.
“Men, women, and even children came together with sufurias, jembes, and shovels to dig the foundation and lay the stones,” says Ann Wanjiko, a neighbour.
“We didn’t wait for outside help. We made it happen ourselves.”
As the house nears completion, with only the roof remaining, the community continues to mobilize resources.
While grateful for the support they have received, Chief Bethrosa emphasizes the importance of using local resources to drive change.
"I learned early on that leadership is about service," says Chief Bethrosa, who credits her upbringing and the skills she acquired through the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK).
"We don't always need to wait for the government to help us. The resources we need are often right here within our community."
Her work aligns seamlessly with President William Ruto’s vision for affordable housing under the BETA plan, which aims to build 250,000 houses annually.
Inspired by this initiative, Chief Bethrosa has pledged to build 12 houses—one in each village in her area - showing that local leaders can actively support national goals at the community level.
Peter Mbugua, a village elder, praises the Chief’s vision and leadership.
“Bethrosa has shown us what true leadership is. She didn’t wait for help; she showed us that we have the power to make a difference together.”
Bethrosa’s efforts echo the words of Government Spokesman Isaac Mwaura who said:
"Kenya Itasimama, Kenya Itainuka, Kenya Itanawiri—Kenya Will Stand, Kenya Will Rise, Kenya Will Flourish." A rallying call by his office to Kenyans to embrace national values.
These words have become a mantra in her community, reminding everyone of their shared responsibility.
As her projects grow and new initiatives take root, Chief Bethrosa’s legacy stands as a testimony to the power of Uzalendo.
She has demonstrated that patriotism is not just about waving the flag but about taking action and caring for each other.
Through her example, she urges leaders across Kenya to step up and support their communities with whatever resources they have.
"I urge my fellow chiefs and administrators to step up. We can't always wait for help. We need to start with what we have," she says.
As her neighbours look at the almost completed home for the Wachira family, pride fills their faces.
For Wachira and his family, the future is promising.
