Emmanuel, a 50 year-old resident of Meka village in Pangani District is severely handicapped by polio. Because of his inability to feed his family of 8 people, his wife left him along with 4 children. Emmanuel, with his strong sense of determination, never gave up and kept on running a small business of selling cigarettes at his door step. He was barely making a half a dollar a day, trying to ensure that his children are provided with a minimum daily intake of food. Through Islamic Help livelihood project, he was given a small wooden shop and stock of groceries. After 6 months of his setting up shop, supported by Islamic Help, Emmanuel is earning from 6 up to 10 dollars a day, which made him one of the most affluent people in his village.
Emmanuel has a dream to remarry and send his children to a better school. He had many plans and ambitions which he could never accomplish because of his disability. Now, all that he is left with are the hopes which he holds for his children’s future.
He said, “I am sure that if my children are well-educated, there is nothing they can’t achieve and they will fulfill my dreams”. “I am extremely grateful to Islamic Help for lighting up my dark world”.