Chandaria Foundation, Suqoon Foundation, Safaricom Foundation and Huawei on December 20, visited the facility with generous donations and a commitment to improve living conditions for its elderly residents.
The St. Mary’s Home for the elderly women located in Sagana, Kirinyaga County, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary since the institution's inception back in 1974.
Sisters from the St Mary's Home for the Elderly and Soquun founder and philanthropist Shakira Khawaja engage in a cake-cutting session during a visit to the facility in Sagana, Kirinyaga County on December 20, 2024/ENOS TECHE
The festive spirit brought joy and hope to the residents of St. Mary’s Village for the Aged Women in Sagana after three organizations—Chandaria Foundation, Suqoon Foundation, Safaricom Foundation and Huawei on December 20, visited the facility with generous donations and a commitment to improve living conditions for its elderly residents.
The St. Mary’s Home for the elderly women located in Sagana, Kirinyaga County, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary since the institution's inception back in 1974.
Through a partnership with the Suqoon Foundation, the Chandaria and Safaricom foundations, the elderly home received 40 mattresses, blankets, bedsheets, pillows, two wheelchairs and foodstuffs.
The charity organisations also foresaw the renovation processes of the buildings at the St. Mary’s Village for the Aged Women which is set to provide the elderly women with conducive facilities for sleeping, showering and resting.
The elderly home hosts and takes care of close to 40 elderly women and is run under the mandate of the director and administrator, Father Michael Mutinda a seven-member board, four sisters and one psychologist.
According to Father Mutinda, the generous gesture which included donations of essential supplies and renovation commitments, has significantly eased the challenges faced by the home, ensuring that the elderly residents continue to receive care and support during the festive season.
“The home has no other source of income, we depend on well-wishers. We thank the partners for looking to us and supporting us with the foodstuffs which we could have struggled to buy.
The support is a lot for us,” Father Mutinda said.
Access to health care services according to Father Mutinda is one of the major challenges faced by the institution.
“One of our biggest challenges is medication because we don't get medicinal donations.
We have to depend on well-wishers and sometimes buy them which is very costly per month,” Father Mutinda added.
Director of the St Mary's Home for the elderly Father Michael Mutinda, Soquun founder and philanthropist Shakira Khawaja and a Sister from the St Mary's Home for the elderly during the handover of donations in Sagana Kirinyaga County on December 20, 2024 /ENOS TECHE
Caregivers at St. Mary Home for the Elderly receive gifts and donations from Suqoon, Safaricom and Chandaria foundations during a visit to the facility in Sagana, Kirinyaga County on Friday 20, 2024/ENOS TECHE
Soquun founder and philanthropist Shakira Khawaja (centre) with sisters from the St. Mary home for the elderly women and a beneficiary of the donations during the cake-cutting celebration in Sagana Kirinyaga County on December 20, 2024/ENOS TECHE Suqoon founder and philanthropist Shakira Khawaja emphasized the critical role of partnerships in advancing charitable initiatives.Shakira highlighted how collaboration enhances impact and fosters innovation in community projects.“If I identify a certain area where I want to make a difference, I reach out to organizations with shared interests or strengths and ask for help,” Shakira explained.Shakira underscored that partnerships bring fresh ideas and access to key resources, which are essential for creating meaningful change.
By leveraging the expertise and support of the right organizations, Shakira believes communities can experience transformative progress.
Vincent Rapando, general manager for the Chandaria Foundation programmes countrywide said they saw the need to expand their charity works to different parts of the country in a bid to spread Christmas cheers to the elderly persons.“For the Chandaria foundation, the gesture was like a Christmas gift for the older persons. We have been supporting the elderly people and homes mostly in Nairobi. However, this year we wanted to do it big. We selected eight elderly homes across the country,” Rapando said.“We have given 200 mattresses, 400 blankets, 200 bedsheets and pillows, which will be distributed in eight counties, Kirinyaga, Muranga, Nairobi, Mombasa, Laikipia, Nakuru, Malindi, Kilifi and Siaya.” St. Mary Home for the Aged Women Director Father Michael Mutinda, a beneficiary of the donations and Soquun founder and philanthropist Shakira Khawaja during a visit to the facility on December 20, 2024/ENOS TECHE
