Amina Mgoti commonly known as Mama Edna, is the first born in her large family. The polygamous family of three wives with nine children, Mama Edna grew up in impoverished conditions not even knowing when she was born and never attending school. As with many Giriama families the males in the family went to school while the girls were kept at home to do chores and then married off as soon as they were of a child bearing age for a dowry, this is what happened Mama Edna.

Mama Edna

Soon after the marriage Amina was blessed with a baby boy but her husband soon left and she ended up having an additional nine children. As with her own childhood, Mama Edna does not know when the majority of her children was born as she had them in the bush not even attending a clinic to give birth. It is not an easy life for a woman living in rural conditions in Kenya.

Edna contemplating village life

Papa Kevin and Mama Mary first met Mama Edna in 2008 when they visited her ramshackle home with their friends John & Edna Mellor who since that day have paid for the rent on a better house for the family and also money so they can buy food each month. At the time Amina was pregnant, she named the baby born a few months later Edna. Against all odds Edna survived and has been coming daily to the GLO since she was a newborn baby along with her siblings.

Little Edna

Tuesday 8th January 2013 was a cause of celebration as Baby Enda now joined KG1 at St Bernadette Mary School, she joined her brothers and sister as they enjoy getting a high quality free education, something unheard of in Kenya. Girls born into poor families in rural Kenya very rarely go to school so little Edna had a spring in her step as she walked in through the school gates on her 1st morning as a new pupil at the school.

Mama Edna & the family

Working on the farm

Mama Edna works on our farm in exchange for getting her rent paid and money for food, again we are not here to give “hand outs” to people but instead give people a the sense of achievement and pride in what they do. Thanks to John & Edna Mellor for their continued support and assistance for Mama Edna & her family. John & Edna also sponsor Patrick who they picked up from Coast General Hospital with Mama Mary & Papa Kevin in December 2008, we look forward to your visiting us again x

John & Edna with Baby Patrick coming from Coast General

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