Success Stories
TESTIMONIALS
Desire
Male refugee from Burundi
We were going for a home visit at Kangemi slums to visit a depressed mother of 5 children
during Covid-19. The husband had left her due to challenges of the pandemic. We received a
call in our office from a desperate concerned neighbor who was requesting our foundation to
help her. We decided to check the situation and see how we could help her. As we were
tracing the house, we noted a man was following us from behind. At first we ignored and
thought he was in his own business. He kept his steps behind us and we become suspicious he was after something bad. We thought could be he was after snatch our phones, or get money from us by force because the situation was worse during the first month of corona virus.
People were told to stay home and many lost their jobs, the situation was bad at that time. we
decided to ask help from a nearby shop and allow her to pass and go his way. Unfortunately,
or fortunately, instead of him passing us, he stood direct opposite the shop. He beckoned one of us and we sensed could be he needed help us which was true. The communicate was a problem because he couldn’t speak Swahili neither in English. He was from Burundi so we
had to look for any Burundians around to help us interpret what he wanted to communicate
with us.
Desire is his name, left Burundi in March 2020 in search of a greener pasture. He left his wife
and 5 children in his country. He was fearing for the elections which was done then in May.
He said life was hard, and during campaign and elections period things get worse and crime
goes up. He decided ranning away, would help get a safe place and relocate his family, since
the wife couldn’t run with the children. They only believed God would protect them. He was
employed in March as a school guard, and immediately the pandemic hit the country of
Covid-19. He told us he had not eaten for days, and when he was begging food from a shop
we passed by, the shopkeeper told him to follow us could be we could offer him help. It was
a very touching story because the shopkeeper did not even know who we were. Could be
because the situation at the moment of Covid-19 was devastating. He had no other clothes
apart from those he was wearing of guard and was given by the school. He was on gumboot,
and it was too hot. He told us he had no other shoes and the gumboot was the only one
though his toes got so burned by the heat. He was looking for food and employment.
After hearing the touching story, we invited him to our office immediately where we gave
him clothes and a food basket. later we gave him 5 pairs of shoes which was donated to us by
great man God after hearing the touching story. Desire is a born again Christian. He accepted
Christ as his Lord and savior while he was in Burundi. He has a testimony of what God can
do to those believes in Him. We are still looking for him employment, and doing the follow-
up. We give all the glory to God. Not by our might, nor by our power, but by the spirit of the
Lord! All glory goes back to God! Amen.
Jane - TTLF Volunteer
Mariam
Mariam is a mother of a daughter and four grandchildren, currently residing at Kangemi
slums, but a refugee from Burundi. She escaped from Burundi as a result of tribal crisis
that erupted because of reputed elections. She went for refuge at Kakuma Refugee
Camp on the northern part of Kenya. The life became intolerable due to poor living
conditions and harsh weather so they relocated to Kangemi slums near Nairobi.
Mariam is a needy person with health challenges. She was introduced to TTLF by a
community health worker volunteer for counseling and other support. Mariam was so
traumatized by what she experienced back in Burundi. Seeing her children and other
family members killed mercilessly. Only by the mercies of God she managed to escape
with some of her family members. She went through counseling and spiritual guidance.
After some time, she gave her life to Jesus as her LORD and personal Savior. After
experiencing the love of Christ and looking at things in a different angle, Mariam started
transforming and disclosing some issues she had kept to herself that made her live
depressed. She let go the heartache, anger, bitterness and revenge she harbored in her
heart. She regained her confidence, her joy was restored and she started forgiving those
who killed her children. Though she is still on medication, she confesses that that her life
is never the same again. We support her with basic needs and looking forwarded to
seeing her able to stand on her feet again. We thank all our well-wishers for making it
happen.
What God can do, no man can do. All glory back to God who is the author and the
finisher of our faith!
Sarah - PPI Teacher
Naomi
Naomi is a single mother of four, a Kenyan Citizen currently residing at Kangemi slums.
Naomi Stays with her two children and the other two lives with their separates father in
upcountry village. Naomi grew as an orphan, her single mother died when she was a
teenager and because she is the first born, it was her responsibility to take care of her
younger siblings. Life was difficult and the only way to survive was to engage in liquor
and hard substance. She married at a young age to a drunkard young man who abused her
emotionally as well as physically. She narrated one incident she escaped death, the day
she called her a marriage a quit.
When introduced to TTLF, Naomi was so much addicted into liquor. She could leave her
breastfeeding toddler in the house for several weeks. She was in bitterness anger,
rejection, confused, low self-esteem and life had no meaning to her.
She was taken through counselling sessions and spiritual guidance. She opened up to our
counselor and her healing process began. She accepted Christ as her LORD and Savior
and was led into salvation. She joined our young mothers fellowship for discipleship and
mentorship. Naomi let go all the baggage she was carrying and learned to leave
everything at the feet of Jesus. She started forgiving all those who abused her because she
was vulnerable. Naomi is growing in faith. She has stopped taking liquor and one day
gave a testimony of how she took the liquor and threw up. She couldn’t believe! She
thought the liquor had expired. She tried again for the second time and third and her
stomach could not hold it! She was so amazed of what God can do. That’s when she
realized she got delivered from the addiction. She communicates with her x- husband who
got another family with respect without abusing him to know the well-being of her
children. Right now Nomi has regained her weight and self -esteem has gone up. She
testifies about the goodness of God every time. She leads other moms in praise and
worship. She demonstrates a good leadership skill. Naomi is very hand working and
desires to start a business of selling cereals.
We give God all the glory for the transformation in Naomi’s life. We know all things are
possible with God and He who began a good work in her will be able to accomplish it.
We are looking forward to seeing her live a life worth to her purpose in Jesus Mighty
name, AMEN!
Jane – TTLF Adm
Veronicah Maina
County: Nairobi, Kangemi
13/8/2020
This is the story of Veronica Maina a mother of three children, one boy and two girls. She
resides at Kangemi and a casual worker around the Kangemi slums. She washes people clothes and due to covid_19, no one would allow her in their houses. Veronica son completed form four but couldn’t continue with his education. One of her daughter is in class eight and the four year daughter in PP1.
Veronica was referred to Touch and Transform Life Foundation by her friend for counseling for
she was so depressed in her mind. After narrating her story to one of the volunteers, she was
referred to TTLF office for an urgent help. She was first given a food basket and clothes.
Jane the administrator was so much touched by her story because she was so open and had
separated with her husband due to an abusive marriage that saw her loose her front teeth. She booked her for counseling and spiritual guidance. Veronica was determined to change and after going through 3 counseling sessions she gave her life to Christ. She joined the young mothers fellowship for discipleship and mentorship. Veronica has transformed so much and her faith in God is amazing.
During one of the mom’s fellowship, Veronica shared her life experience with the moms
passionately. She said she separated with her husband for years. She also confessed she was part of the problem because she had no respect for her husband. She said she was not submissive, and would also use vulgar language which attracted some beating. She did soul-searching after attend the spiritual guidance and counselling sessions, her eyes opened and she realized she was lost. She saw the need of accepting Christ as her personal Savior to learn more on how to become a Proverbs 31 woman. She urged other moms to be submissive to their husband for God made them the head of the family with a very good reason. Pray for the family and read the Bible always. She told them without submission to their husband, they shouldn’t expect any blessing for the family. Veronica story has a lovely ending. She shared that after accepting Christ and the counselling sessions, she started praying for her marriage.
God answers prayers.
One day she received a call from her husband who wanted to know how she was failing together with her children. To her amazement, the husband was very concerned about the first born son education. He requested the son to join him where he was staying to be meeting his needs and today they are living together at his place of work. Through the son, veronica started getting support from the husband to take care of other children. They now reconciled and she is so grateful to God for using T.T.L.F to transform her life and to share the love of Christ to her. She says that she is now a new creature, whose life has been transformed, and she is looking forward to reign with Jesus Christ forever more. All the glory to God! Amen.
Sarah – PPI Teacher
Simon Bigirikimani
Simon is age four and a half years, refugee boy from Burundi. He is an albinism at birth,
currently residing at Kangemi slums with her great grandmother and his teenage mother. The
great grandmother takes responsibility of him and her granddaughter who is the mother of Simon and other siblings. The grandmother has health issues; therefore, she depends on well -wishers to feed on her family.
According to the information given to TTLF, the family escaped from Burundi to find a refuge in Kakuma Refugee Camp, that is among the largest camps in Kenya. The reason being elections violence and insecurity that would have led Simon to be killed due to his albinism condition for rituals. The weather condition became too harsh for Simon and therefore, the family successfully managed to relocate from Kakuma to Kangemi, near Nairobi. They rented a small room where the entire family of eight members lives. As one of TTLF social worker was doing her usual home visits, she was introducing to the family by a community health worker volunteer (CHWC).
Simon had psychological issues for the trauma the family underwent, also overhearing that he
would have been killed. He was in fear of unknown, and would wet himself every time. He has
other health issues related to his condition, like the special cream to apply on her skin which his grandmother cannot afford. His visual too was going from worse to worst.
He was booked for counseling sessions to help him cope with the situation. He was also taken
through our PPI program for spiritual growth by our Sunday school coordinator. Since TTLF
aims at touching and transforming lives, our well wishes were informed about the urgent need of Simon visual that needed attention. Praise God! that Simon was taken to a physician for a medical checkup and glasses was recommended to safe his eye sight. As we talk now Simon has a pair of glasses, he has recovered from the past trauma and he doesn’t wet himself. He was introduced to Jesus Christ the friend of children and he loves singing Sunday school songs.
Simon is a quick learner, who has a sense of humor. He is very hardworking, jovial and very
social with other children. He is attending classes ( PP1) at a nearby Kangemi Primary school.
According to him, he would like to become a driver when he grows up but after seeing a doctor all changes now to both.
We look forward to seeing Simon through his education. To support the miracle boy to become what God meant his to be, that he shall live his purpose. Since the grandmother due her health issues is limited, we step in by well-wisher’s and people of good faith support to see his dream come true.
We give God all the glory for enabling us work in His vineyard!
Sarah – PPI Teacher
