Jackie Odhiambo learned about widows' hardships early. When she turned 11, her dad passed away. Her mom, Rebecca, aunt Peninah, and grandma Wilikister - all widows - raised her afterward. She watched them face tough challenges yet stay strong, which made her care deeply about helping widows.
She remembers seeing how these women dealt with loneliness and money problems. Their sacrifices for the children amazed her. Her mother always pushed education as the path from poverty toward dignity. Instead of letting sadness take over, Jackie turned her pain into action.
Her excellent school performance earned her a full scholarship to Williams College in America through Zawadi Africa mentorship. She wanted, most of all, to make her mother proud. After Williams, she joined Harvard Medical School's Global Health Research Core supporting research projects at Partners in Health.
Jackie completed her Master's degree with top honors in International Public Health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. She returned to Kenya in 2019 and officially began working with widows. Her efforts led her to register Nyanam Widows Rising that same year in Kisumu.
Nyanam is a justice organization that prepares widows to lead positive community change. They offer complete programs focusing on leadership, health, making a living, justice, and youth education. Jackie started helping widows in 2017 after noticing how badly people treated them.
She felt upset seeing nobody listen when widows spoke during community projects. Even worse, people blamed widows first whenever something went wrong. Through her organization, Jackie brings hope by dedicating herself to empowering widows with creative programs offering shelter, dignity, financial stability, and community belonging.
The project began with just 80 widows but has expanded to serve more than 3,000 today. Its main approach is building skills and strength. The training programs have changed how these women view themselves since stigma often makes people doubt their value.
Jackie explains her research reveals widespread widow stigma across sub-Saharan Africa hurts women socially, mentally, and financially. One woman helped by the program admitted she might have given up or died without this support. Another mentioned finding encouragement through other widows' stories and teachings.
Jackie's journey shows resilience and dedication as she breaks barriers and challenges social norms. She identifies stigma as their biggest hurdle. Widows face discrimination, property loss, family rejection, and blame for their husbands' deaths. These problems seriously harm their mental health.
This remarkable woman's vision and compassion have transformed countless lives. As International Women's Day arrives on March 8th, people celebrate Jackie Odhiambo's amazing journey. Her dedication has permanently marked society. Through compassion and determination, she lifts entire communities.
Her legacy lives both in the lives she transforms and the inspiration she creates. She motivates others to dream big, lead boldly, and make meaningful differences in the world around them.
She remembers seeing how these women dealt with loneliness and money problems. Their sacrifices for the children amazed her. Her mother always pushed education as the path from poverty toward dignity. Instead of letting sadness take over, Jackie turned her pain into action.
Her excellent school performance earned her a full scholarship to Williams College in America through Zawadi Africa mentorship. She wanted, most of all, to make her mother proud. After Williams, she joined Harvard Medical School's Global Health Research Core supporting research projects at Partners in Health.
Jackie completed her Master's degree with top honors in International Public Health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. She returned to Kenya in 2019 and officially began working with widows. Her efforts led her to register Nyanam Widows Rising that same year in Kisumu.
Nyanam is a justice organization that prepares widows to lead positive community change. They offer complete programs focusing on leadership, health, making a living, justice, and youth education. Jackie started helping widows in 2017 after noticing how badly people treated them.
She felt upset seeing nobody listen when widows spoke during community projects. Even worse, people blamed widows first whenever something went wrong. Through her organization, Jackie brings hope by dedicating herself to empowering widows with creative programs offering shelter, dignity, financial stability, and community belonging.
The project began with just 80 widows but has expanded to serve more than 3,000 today. Its main approach is building skills and strength. The training programs have changed how these women view themselves since stigma often makes people doubt their value.
Jackie explains her research reveals widespread widow stigma across sub-Saharan Africa hurts women socially, mentally, and financially. One woman helped by the program admitted she might have given up or died without this support. Another mentioned finding encouragement through other widows' stories and teachings.
Jackie's journey shows resilience and dedication as she breaks barriers and challenges social norms. She identifies stigma as their biggest hurdle. Widows face discrimination, property loss, family rejection, and blame for their husbands' deaths. These problems seriously harm their mental health.
This remarkable woman's vision and compassion have transformed countless lives. As International Women's Day arrives on March 8th, people celebrate Jackie Odhiambo's amazing journey. Her dedication has permanently marked society. Through compassion and determination, she lifts entire communities.
Her legacy lives both in the lives she transforms and the inspiration she creates. She motivates others to dream big, lead boldly, and make meaningful differences in the world around them.
