HOMA BAY, KENYA – For Esther Achieng' Akulo, a 29-year-old widow and mother of four, life in Kanyamwa Kologi Ward, Ndhiwa Constituency, has been a daily struggle for survival since her husband's death in 2018. After years of living in a dilapidated mud-walled house, Ms. Achieng' was handed the keys to a new, fully furnished home on Monday, 10 November 2025, in an act of community support that casts a sharp light on the broader challenges facing vulnerable households in the region.

Ms. Achieng' was widowed at 22 when her husband, the family's sole breadwinner, died in an accident. Left to raise four young children on her own, she faced immense hardship, with their mud house, which had a heavily rusted iron-sheet roof, offering little protection from the elements. Her situation is emblematic of the housing crisis faced by many in Homa Bay County, where a significant portion of the population lives in homes constructed from temporary materials like mud and wooden poles.

Community Intervention and Support

The turning point for Ms. Achieng's family came after her story was highlighted by a local community advocacy group, the Women Empowerment Programme (WEP), which shared photos of her former and new homes. While the specific donors and the full cost of the construction have not been publicly disclosed, the initiative appears to be a grassroots effort aimed at providing direct relief. FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS REQUIRED to determine the full extent of the funding and organisations involved in the project.

This type of community-led support is crucial in a county with 262,036 households, including 11,069 with orphaned and vulnerable children, according to the 2019 Kenya Census Report. Such initiatives supplement the work of larger non-governmental organizations and county-level programmes designed to alleviate poverty and improve living standards.

Broader Housing Challenges in Homa Bay

The plight of Ms. Achieng' underscores a systemic issue in Homa Bay and similar rural counties. According to Habitat for Humanity Kenya, a non-governmental organisation active in the region, common barriers to decent shelter include the death of a breadwinner, land ownership challenges, and a lack of income opportunities, all of which disproportionately affect widows and orphans. The organisation has constructed 44 houses in Homa Bay County, including five in Ndhiwa Sub-County, for vulnerable families.

The Homa Bay County Government, under Governor Gladys Wanga, has also acknowledged the severe housing deficit. In November 2023, the county administration signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Habitat for Humanity Kenya to develop a framework for providing affordable and sustainable housing solutions. This partnership aims to address land tenure insecurity and the impacts of recurring floods, which exacerbate housing instability. Governor Wanga has previously stated that providing homes for the elderly and the most vulnerable is a priority for her administration.

Furthermore, the county has partnered with the National Housing Corporation (NHC) to develop over 400 affordable housing units in Homa Bay town, a project intended to create jobs and improve living conditions for residents.

The Way Forward

While individual acts of charity provide immediate and life-changing relief, sustainable, long-term solutions are required to address the root causes of housing poverty. These include economic empowerment programmes for women and youth, strengthening social safety nets, and ensuring the effective implementation of county and national housing policies.

Organizations like the Rona Foundation, which operates in neighbouring Siaya County, demonstrate a model that combines housing support with advocacy for widows' rights, access to justice, and economic empowerment to prevent violence and exploitation. Similarly, the County Government of Homa Bay has initiated public consultations for a rescue and hope centre in Ndhiwa in partnership with Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), aiming to tackle issues of gender-based violence and provide support services.

For Esther Achieng' and her children, the new house represents a secure foundation and a hopeful future. Her story is a powerful testament to the impact of community solidarity and a pressing call to action for broader, systemic interventions to ensure every family in Homa Bay has a safe and dignified place to call home.