Stacey Wanjiru Kariuki

I have finally achieved a major first step in a project I've been picking at for over 6 months; how to help a woman called Stacey stay alive. She is now equipped with a reloadable visa card! I was wondering how to fundraise to get her some serious money, toying with ideas like doing a sponsored walk carrying my baby on my back. But the directness of the internet appeals. She's a such a good writer! You read her story and you feel everything she felt, your stomach churns, and then you can give money straight into her hands, for vegetables and medicine. Here's the story:

STACEY - IN HER OWN WORDS

My name is Stacy Wanjiru. I am a Christian and a mother of two, a son, eight years old and a three months old daughter. I was born in a family of two(my sister and i) and was brought up in Webuye until 1986 when our family moved to stay in Eldoret. I am 34 years old now, HIV+ and a divorcee. I had been happily married for ten(10) years since 1996 to 2005 when one day i plunged into a misfortune which changed my life completely.

It is the events of this fateful day that have resulted to my present situation which i find very challenging. On that day i was with my husband and our son, driving home from a party. Three men car-jacked us and mercilessly raped me infront of my husband and son when they couldn't get money from us (which is what they were asking for in addition to our mobile phones). They then left us in that traumatising mess. My husband took me into the car and drove us home speechlessly. He left home immediately not even taking me to hospital and come back drunk the following day. This strange behaviour continued for a week after which he said he would never want to see me and i should leave his house.This became unbearably painful for me. I had to seek help.

A this point i approached a friend who gave me refuge in her home. She also took me to Nairobi Women's Hospital for check up. It was then that i learnt i had conceived and cotracted the HIV Virus following my predicament. It was painful. I became hopeless and helpless. I felt like i had reached the end of my life. I did receive Counselling at Nairobi Women's Hospital though it all sounded void. With time however, after interraction with other HIV+s, i started thinking positive and accepting my situation. The Cousellor at Nairobi Women's Hospital wrote to the Wholistic Caring and Counselling Center requesting for my accomodation. My mind shifted from abortion to adoption for the child i was carrying. I had no way of sustaining the child and i was HIV+. I thought it impossible to take care of this baby.

I was taken in at Wholistic Center and have received great help ever since. I gave birth to Faith (through Ceaserian Section) three months ago, 9th December 2005.

I am now a mother to a healthy baby girl (my 2nd child). I have come to love this child regardless of how i conceived her and would want her to have the best in life. It is not easy though. It is very disturbing and actually worrying to imagine a life with my situation alone and with a nursing child. I could say so far so good. I have been housed and fed. It is not going to be easy to be this dependent for long, soon i will be out of Wholistic. My thoughts are that if i could get a funding, some financial assistance that could help me to stand on my own, that is, find shelter, fix my baby's care, feed myself well and have a business to sustain our needs, then life would be less challenging. I am hereby writing to solicit any funding that anyone could offer to help me stand on my own. My hopes are that, i would start selling second hand clothes and make a living.

I appeal to you or anyone through you to consider my plight positively, and assist me because you will have saved both my life and my child's. I kindly request that you may have the heart to help me in settling down to a normal life. That would include;-

House rent
Baby's formula milk

Personal effect

Business Capital (As a one time gift)
Furniture inclusive of kitchenware

This would be the breakdown of the cost of the above in Kenya Shillings and US Dollars

House Rent
Ksh. 4000.00(US 56) monthly
Ksh. 48,000.00 (US 676) annually

Formula Milk
Ksh. 5000.00(US 71) monthly
Ksh. 60,000.00(US 845) annually

Personal Effect
Ksh. 4000.00(US 56) monthly
Ksh. 48,000.00(US 676) annually

Business Capital Ksh. 50,000.00 (US 704)

SUB TOTAL 206 000.00 Ksh (US 2901)

You have noticed I have not included the cost of furniture (kitchenware etc) .I was suggesting that with your goodwill you would probably contribute " hand me downs" or used furniture to minimize the expenses incurred
If and when my business picks up I will let you know (whether be in the cause of one year or earlier)
I thank you in advance for your concern and genuine help. More that I ask that you pray that my strength will prevail and that my baby will grow healthy. It's a long and weary journey but with friends like you somehow things work out. God bless you mightily.

God's Best.
Stacey Wanjiru.

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE TO STACEY'S RELOADABLE VISA CARD

Go to www.ikobo.com

Register for an account
Click on the Add Recipient option

Check "The recipient already has an Ikobo Account"
Enter:

Stacey Wanjiru Kariuki
Account Number KS168658KE
Enter the amount you wish to donate. You may get a message saying:
The recipient has reached their limit for the month.
This is because Ikobo allows only $2000 per month per account. If you get the message, just wait till next month and try again.