Support Group Enhances Health and Dignity of Elderly Widowers in Homa Bay
Okombo revealed findings from a recent survey indicating that many elderly widowers on the islands struggle to access medical care due to the lack of nearby health facilities.
A community-based initiative is working to improve the health and wellbeing of elderly widowers living on the remote Lake Victoria islands in Homa Bay County. Photo/The Star Kenya.
Juliet Jerotich
A community-based initiative is working to improve the health and wellbeing of elderly widowers living on the remote Lake Victoria islands in Homa Bay County.
The Widowers Health and Empowerment Support Service, led by program director Samuel Okombo, is focused on promoting personal hygiene and access to healthcare among widowed men, many of whom are isolated and face severe neglect.
Okombo revealed findings from a recent survey indicating that many elderly widowers on the islands struggle to access medical care due to the lack of nearby health facilities. The geographical isolation of islands like Ngodhe makes it especially difficult for them to reach hospitals or clinics, often resulting in worsening health conditions over time.
“Due to limited mobility, poor nutrition, and inadequate hygiene, many of these men have become frail. Some cannot even afford basic items like a toothbrush or toothpaste,” said Okombo.
The initiative, which has received support from Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo, aims to fill this gap by promoting routine health checkups and offering direct assistance to vulnerable elderly widowers.
At a recent awareness event held on Ngodhe Island, more than 150 elderly men participated in health education sessions and were registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA) to improve access to healthcare services.
During the outreach, participants received personal hygiene kits that included toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, soap, vests, undergarments, and nail cutters. These items are intended to help them maintain basic personal care, which many have been unable to afford.
Okombo noted that due to the islands’ rocky terrain and declining health among the elderly, many widowers can no longer fish—the primary economic activity in the region—or farm, pushing them into deeper dependency on their families, and in many cases, into neglect.
Community elder Okech Ongere called on the government to increase support, including the creation of a local administrative sub-location on Ngodhe Island to improve access to public services. Currently, residents must travel to Rusinga, which involves additional costs they can scarcely afford.
“We’re appealing to the government for relief food and closer administrative services. We’re aging and need help to live with dignity,” Ongere said.
The support group continues to lobby for broader interventions to uplift elderly widowers, whose vulnerability often goes unnoticed in public health planning.
About Author
