Hi guys, Dr. Joyce Banda is a former president of Malawi (2012 – 2014); the country’s first female President. Today, on her wedding anniversary, she’s shared such an inspirational message that I’d like to share here with you. Published on Dr. Joyce BandaFacebook page, it’s a message that made me have a warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart, and perhaps it will do the same for you too 🙂 . She says:
On this day 35 years ago, Richard Banda and I got married. My mother gave us six months. So did many people in society. It was a marriage that was not meant to work, particularly because we came from two tribes with deep rooted traditions around marriage. In those days the two tribes did not get married, if they could help it.
A year later on the very same day, 23rd January, our daughter Kambe was born. We have been blessed with a happy large blended family. God has blessed us with nine young men and women, our children, our achievers.
Today I want to thank God for giving me a friend, a brother, but most importantly an anchor who had stood by me through thick and thin.
Together we are forever grateful to our friends who made our journey extremely extraordinary. May God bless you all.
Mummy Talesis a blog dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of maternal and newborn health, as well as various issues surrounding motherhood and women. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan momshere. Follow Mummy Tales on:FACEBOOK l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER
If you’re a woman in business or planning to get into business soon, have a look at these helpful tips as shared by Sales Trainer Mucha Mlingo and feel free to share the video with a friend or sister or colleague who you know would benefit from it. I recorded this clip from a event organized by Supamamas.
Also see related video of Janet Muley, a former Miss World Kenya who now runs Diamond Junior School in Nairobi in the video below.
Remember to subscribe to the Mummy Tales You Tube channel so that you can be getting notified each time I post a new video 🙂
Fred, customer care attendant at Uchumi Nairobi West.
Hi guys, how are your holidays coming along? Hope great! We just got back from the village in Kakamega, I’ll soon be sharing a video of our #KakamegaTales, so be sure to check that out.
Now recently, I received these text messages from Uchumi supermarket:
So as I was doing my usual ‘out and about’ rounds yesterday, I happened by Uchumi Nairobi West. And since there were some little little household things that I needed to buy, I got right in.
Now, many times I’ve been to Uchumi Nairobi West and many times my heart has ached for the whole Uchumi enterprise. The shelves have been empty, and for the few products that were there, they were filled with layers of dust. Plus the staff looked demoralized and pitiful.
You see, me and Uchumi supermarket we go way back. Let me tell you a little tale 🙂
When we were young, supermarkets were few and far between. So when my mum did the house hold monthly shopping, she’d do it at Uchumi Jogoo Road -mostly in the evening after she and my dad had picked us up from school (school was along Mamlaka rd, home was Buru Buru, so Jogoo Road was the route used).
So whenever we’d see dad begin signaling on the road, indicating he was just about to turn into the road leading to Uchumi, our hearts would start beating fast. In the back seat, my two brothers and I would hold our hands tight together, giggling, flapping our elbows and shuffling our feet, so happy because we knew what that meant.
Mum preferred doing the shopping alone because, I guess getting into a supermarket with three kids can be quite… well… quite something. I know it myself because whenever I want to get things done fast and without much ado, I usually leave my boys behind. And that’s what mum would do – she’d leave us in the car in the company of dad then go do the shopping –fast and without much ado 🙂
My boys, out and about.
While in the car, dad would regal us with funny tales of his childhood, his years growing up in Nyeri. I also remember the car stereo would always be tuned to Sundowner on KBC and we’d all enjoy and sing along to the Jim Reeves, Abba, Kenny Rogers and all those other nice peoples. I still religiously listen to Sundowner to date by the way.
So anyway, the BIG moment that we’d all been waiting for would finally arrive when we’d see mum returning with the shopping. Seeing her would be like seeing a majestic angel, dressed in white, resplendent, walking towards us. Hallelujah!
She would then pull out three packets of crisps from the shopping bag, one for each of us. What joy! That moment would always feel like an out-of-this-world experience. And that’s why I grew to love Uchumi because Uchumi meant giggling with my brothers, receiving a packet of crisps from mum, Sundowner on KBC and enjoying my dad’s Nyeri tales 🙂
How the shelves at Uchumi Nairobi West look like now.
So, back to yesterday. When I checked into Uchumi Nairobi West, I began getting happy with what I was seeing. The shelves were full! There was a wide range of products, not just one product occupying three entire shelves. And the products were clean, not dusty!
At one aisle, I needed to get me some Brookside Dairy Fresh packs, but they were too high up for my reach. So one customer care guy/supermarket attendant by the name Fred quickly came to my rescue and assisted me. Fred went on to welcome me, telling me to enjoy my shopping at the store. I said thank you, and continued filling my cart.
Some holiday treats for the boys.
After going round for about 10 minutes, Fred found me again and asked me if I was OK, and if there was anything I was looking for that I hadn’t found. I told him in fact I was very okay and very happy because I had managed to find like 90% of the stuff that I was looking for –and in my preferred brands, which has been a rare thing for Uchumi in recent years to be honest.
I told him though that I hadn’t found my favorite tissue paper brand, some spices, plus some self-raising flour. Fred told me that they were restocking stuff and in a few days, I would find all that I was looking for. In fact, he told me that I should come and do all the back-to-school shopping there because by next week, they will be fully stocked!
Fred, customer care attendant at Uchumi Nairobi West.
I left Uchumi very happy because I’ve always rooted for it, always had a soft spot for it and I’m genuinely glad it’s getting back on its feet again. I hope it’s for keeps this time. And kudos to Fred for the wonderful Customer Care service that he accorded me. Uchumi Nairobi West – you have a gem right there in Fred!
So guys, lets help good old Uchumi get back to its feet again. Have you visited other Uchumi branches since they started sending out SMS’s? What branch did you visit and did you find it stocked with stuff? Let us know below in the comments section.
When I was a little girl, one of the outstanding things that would signal the start of the Christmas season was the movie ‘The Little Match Girl’ which would show on KBC (VOK then) ☺. Now, KBC/VOK would repeat the same movie a number of times over the Christmas season – year in, year out, and each time they did so, I would get so excited watching it, as though each time were my first.
I loved the little girl – Keisha Knight Pulliam. She was just so beautiful with such gorgeous hair and she spoke so eloquently. Plus I was around the same age as her so she was so relatable. That show is something that I would wait all year long for, and it feels so good reliving those moments now that I’m all grown up.
Even though there were many other activities that my parents engaged my siblings and I in during the Christmas season, for me, the season was never quite complete without ‘The Little Match Girl’.
But our kids today – it’s different for them. They have access to a whole range of shows and movies to choose from, including on internet TV, which allows them to watch tonnes of age-appropriate movies and shows.Showmaxis one such provider and this season, there are a couple of holiday specials they are showing that make for fun moments and lasting memories for the kids.
Just like ‘The Little Match Girl’ was for me, these animated shows will get your kids into the spirit of the Christmas season, and you can watch with them, too. Trust me, these are moments they’ll cherish for the rest of their lives.
My boys, enjoying Showmax, with mohawks 🙂
I have listed 10 shows for kids that will make the Christmas season so much jollier, courtesy of Showmax. And remember that for only KSh250 paid through M-Pesa, you can get 3 months of Showmax. As in, if you pay now, you’ll get access to over 35 000 movies, series episodes, kids’ shows and documentaries all the way through to March 2018.
So here are the shows:
Timmy’s Christmas Surprise
Join Timmy and his friends in this holiday special. When they get snowed in at the nursery on Christmas Eve, they decide to create their own Christmas right there.
2. Pingu: Pingu’s Family Celebrate Christmas
Season 2, episode 7: See how the lovable Pingu and his sister Pinga and his mom and dad prepare for Christmas celebrations by buying a tree, making biscuits, putting wrapped presents under the tree and singing carols. This sweet series without any dialogue is a timeless classic, and a favourite for toddlers and pre-schoolers.
3. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey Saves Santa
Season 1, episode 18: When Santa’s sleigh breaks down, it’s up to Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald and Daisy to rescue him and get him back on his way to delivering gifts.
4. PJ Masks: Gekko Saves Christmas
Season 1, episode 12: While trying to learn to ice skate with Amaya and Connor, Greg realizes that all the Christmas decorations in town are missing. That night, Gekko, Owlette and Catboy set out to defeat Luna Girl, who’s stealing all the magic – and presents – of Christmas.
5. Paw Patrol: Pups Saves Christmas
Season 1, episode 11: Santa’s sleigh crashes in Adventure Bay on Christmas Eve. Can the pups round up the reindeer, collect all the presents, find the star and fix the sleigh so that Christmas comes to Adventure Bay?
6. Peppa Pig: Snow
Season 1, episode 26: It’s snowing today! Peppa and George go outside in their hats, scarves and gloves, and build a snowman – but he needs a hat and scarf and gloves, too… But where will they find some for him?
7. Bubble Guppies: Happy Holidays, Mr Grumpfish!
Season 2, episode 2: Everyone is in the holiday spirit, except Mr Grumpfish. Can Molly, Gil, Deema, Oona, Nonny, Goby and Bubble Puppy find the one thing what will brighten his mood? How about turning his house into a gingerbread house, complete with marshmallow frosting?
8. Stick Man
This is Julia’s charming story about a piece of wood called Stick Man who ends up on a grand adventure as he tries his best to get home to his stick family in time for Christmas. The award-winning animation is also an African success story as it was animated by South African animation company Triggerfish. This is the perfect time to share the magic of Christmas and Donaldson’s rhymes with your children.
9. Frozen in Time
Young siblings Eric and Patty are about to take off on a thrilling, and chilling, adventure! After damaging their grandfather’s most treasured possession -a strange clock, they throw the whole world into a crazy time continuum, where Christmas Day is repeated over and over.
10. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic – Hearth’s Warming Eve
Season 2, episode 11: The Mane Six (Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rarity) prepare for the traditional Hearth’s Warming Eve pageant by putting on a play about the founding of Equestria.
Here’s the link to get access to all the joy that Showmax has to offer. I hope your kids have a memorable Christmas season, courtesy of their favourite TV shows, just as I will always remember ‘The Little Match Girl’ from Christmases past.
Binge-watch on so many exciting series and shows this holiday with Showmax. Click on image to get 3 months of Showmax for KSH 250 with M-Pesa. Offer valid for a limited period time.
She is a former Miss World Kenya, an A student, a Law graduate and today, she is an entrepreneur. Your child is probably under her care 🙂 She is a wife –her husband is the CEO of Mo Sound and the Founder of Groove Awards, and she is a mother of three; a 5-year-old boy, a 4-year-old girl and a 1-year-old boy.
Today, I share her story, which is about her journey to entrepreneurship, and what led her down that path. It helps us understand the role that we can play as parents in supporting the interests and passions of our children. Enjoy!
By the way you can binge-watch on so many exciting series and shows this holiday with Showmax. Click on image to get 3 months of Showmax for KSH 250 with M-Pesa. Offer valid for a limited period time.
Hi moms, it’s December, the month of fun, relaxation and just ‘letting go’ after the year that has been. And the kids also look forward to the Christmas season – putting up the Christmas tree and decorations, hanging out with their cousins and friends, enjoying some screen time, and also taking fun road trips to shaggz to visit their grandparents.
So nowadays, when it comes to screen time, there’s a wide range of exciting shows that kids can enjoy, and Showmax is a great solution for offering these shows to your little ones. Showmax is an internet TV service that allows you to watch plenty of series, movies and kids’ shows from any device as long as you have an internet connection.
Today, I’ll list some shows that your kids would enjoy this holiday (there are plenty more to choose from).
The Marvel Collection
Anything that has Spider Man and the Avengers is always a win, especially for kids who love comic books and superheroes. Showmax has an exciting Marvel Collection that includes: Marvel’s Avengers Assemble, Marvel’s Ultimate Spider Man, Marvel’s Avengers: Ultron Revolution, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and Marvel’s Ultimate Spider Man vs the Sinister 6.
The Barbie Collection
Barbie, the world’s most famous doll, has been a childhood favourite for generations. And now there are 12 different Barbie movies on Showmax for fans to watch back to back. There’s: Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses, Barbie Thumbelina, Barbie Dreamtopia, Barbie in a Mermaid Tale and Barbie in The Princess and the Pop Star, among others.
The LEGO Collection
Many kids are familiar with LEGO courtesy of the toys and bricks, but there are some very funny, cute LEGO shows as well that they can get stuck into.
On Showmax, there’s LEGO DC Superheroes: Batman Be-leaguered, LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures, the LEGO Ninjago Collection and more.
Disney
There’s a good number of shows that kids love on Disney, shows whose characters you’ll find on their t-shirts, socks, backpacks, watches, lunch boxes… shows that the kids love so much that they watch them over and over again. Showmax has them. Let’s start with PJ Masks, which is such a favourite for almost all the kids I know. Then there’s Doc McStuffins, Sofia the First, Captain Jake and the Neverland Pirates, My Friends Tigger & Pooh and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
The Best of Nick Jnr
Go Diego Go and Dora the Explorer are shows that I started watching with my kids when they were little, and which we still enjoy watching together. I absolutely love Diego and Dora.
Other cartoons on Showmax that would be enjoyed by the younger kids are: Wonder Pets (my kids and I enjoy singing along to the jingles), Yo Gabba Gabba (it has fun activities that you can do together with your kids), Mike the Knight, Paw Patrol, Bubble Guppies and Peppa Pig.
There are also plenty of family movies on Showmax that you can watch as a family this December holiday to create lasting memories of time together, such as Ella Enchanted and Space Chimps.
Here’s the link to start watching Showmax. Let me just mention though that one thing that I like about Showmax is that you can download shows at the times when you have good Wi-Fi, save them and then watch them later when you’re offline. This is a good plan for example if you’ll be going to shaggz and there’s no Wi-Fi there; it means you can still watch your favorite series or movies while there.
Downloading and saving to watch later is also a good plan for the kids, as they can watch the shows while on the road travelling. You can also download shows on your smartphone or tablet for them to watch when they go to the salon to have their hair done – it means less fidgeting and less boredom! Try that out 🙂
Oh, and by the way, there’s an offer on at the moment, where for only Ksh250 (paid through M-Pesa) you get to access Showmax for the next three months. The regular monthly cost is Ksh880 per month, so this is a great offer that you don’t want to miss this holiday. You can even buy four Ksh250 vouchers and get a full year of Showmax for only Ksh1,000!
Also, Showmax allows you to select age-appropriate shows for your children so that you can be sure they are only watching shows that are suitable for their age. Read more about that here.
Another great thing about Showmax is that there are no commercials. You just get to watch your shows back to back with no ad interruptions -which is such a #win!
There’s plenty of exciting shows that you can watch together with your kids this holiday on Showmax, creating some good bonding time, so click on this link to get watching 🙂
Hi friends, hope your week was great and that you’re looking forward to the weekend. Now, in case you missed my last post, where I shared the story of Sarah who was faced with a ‘situation’ after she found out her house girl of two years was HIV positive, you can catch up with it here: “This is What I Did After I Found out my Nanny was HIV Positive”. I love sharing stories of encouragement, and I hope Sarah’s story will encourage you.
Alice Kibagendi.
Now, a few years ago, I shared the story of Alice Kibagendi who lost her six-month old daughter Amara through choking. Baby Amara died as she was being fed by the nanny. This experience ignited a passion in Alice to help more people -parents, care givers and nannies to be more aware of the fact that basic First Aid saves lives. Her daughter’s death inspired her to start ‘The Amara Initiative’. You can read that story here: “My Baby Amara Choked to Death, but she Continues to Save Lives Today” -Alice Kibagendi’s story.
The reason I’m sharing Alice’s story today is because The Amara Initiative will tomorrow hold a first-aid training for parents and caregivers. The training will be at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi.
I encourage you to attend if you can. Also share this information with a friend. You can see more of Alice talking about the Amara Initiative in the video below. Otherwise have a blessed weekend.
Mummy Talesis an organization dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Mummy Tales is the top Women & Girl Empowerment blog in Kenya (BAKE 2017 awards) and 2016 top Women & Girl Empowerment blog (African Blogger Awards). Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan momshere.
Living with a HIV positive house help or nanny. How does that work out? Well, today, I have an enlightening experience from Sarah, a Mummy Tales reader who sent me her story of what she did when she found out her nanny was HIV positive. Read on…
“I discovered my nanny was HIV positive 11 months ago when she developed herpes zoster. We had lived with her for two years by then. Interestingly, she also didn’t know she was HIV positive, and it’s only when I took her to the hospital for the herpes zoster that she was tested for HIV. Once the results were made known to her, she was counseled and immediately started on ARVs.
At that time, I had just delivered my third born, and with my nanny unwell, I employed a day scholar house girl to undertake the house chores while she recovered at our home.
Firing Her
Let me be honest. The first thought that came to my mind after I learnt that she was HIV positive was to fire her on the spot. However, my husband, a medic, didn’t support me on this. He first wanted to understand what my concerns were.
Nowadays by the way you can test for HIV in the privacy and comfort of your home. HIV self-test kits are available in pharmacies.
I explained to him that I feared for my kids, especially the newborn. I told him I was afraid of leaving her alone with the baby once my three-month maternity leave ended and I had to return to work.
But as we talked, we got to admit that our nanny had been nothing but good to our family and especially our children. She did her work well, was respectful and our kids love her to bits. I really had no issues with her. So, after a lot soul searching, I decided to keep her.
The one thing that I however made sure I did was have her take a TB test, because sadly this would have been our point of separation if the results would have been positive. Thank God they were negative.
The truth is, most of us employ house girls without knowing their health status and if they have any medical conditions that need special care or attention, just the way I did. When it comes to HIV, it’s not easy to tell one’s HIV status, and it’s even possible for someone not to be aware that they are infected, just like my nanny was.
At the hospital, we were told that she must have been HIV positive for about six years. She has a seven year-old son, whom she was advised to take for an HIV test. Thankfully his results returned negative.
She suspects she was infected by the father of her son, whom she was married to but had parted ways with him five years earlier. He is now deceased, having been beaten up by thugs long after she had left him.
I Take Care of Her Well
Today, 11 months later, my nanny is still with us. I take time to talk to her and encourage her. Whenever she goes to the clinic for medication and review, she and other patients are given HIV & AIDS education, including how to stay healthy and prevent passing on the infection to others.
A Pharmacist at a clinic in Nairobi displays some of the ARV medications in stock for HIV patients who visit the clinic. Courtesy Photoshare
We just advise her to be careful -basically the same stuff she learns at the clinic. Actually, by the time I’m telling her some things on care, she already knows them from the teachings she receives at the clinic.
I support her as best as I can. I make sure she eats well, vegetables and all. It also helps that she takes her medication and her health very seriously. She has even set an alarm on her phone to remind her when to take her medication. She never misses to take her drugs and at the recommended time. She has also invested in warm clothing to avoid catching colds and coughs and so far we’re managing well.
You too Can do It
So yes, it’s possible to keep a house girl who is HIV positive, even when you have little children in the house. This is my experience, and I hope my story will encourage a mother out there. Our house girls, regardless of whether they are HIV positive or not, need care and love. And from my experience, I have seen that they really appreciate what you do to them and for them. Thank you Maryanne Mummy Tales for sharing my story.” -END
Thank you Sarah for your honesty in sharing your experience, which is quite enlightening. So how about you fellow moms? What would you do if you found out your house girl was HIV positive? Would you keep her, or would you let her go? This is a question that I see being raised many times in the mommy groups I’m in, meaning that it’s an issue that troubles many moms.
If, just like Sarah you also have a story that you’d like to share with other moms, email me onmaryanne@mummytales.comyou never know the impact your experience could have on the next mom who reads it.
Mummy Talesis an organization dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Mummy Tales is the top Women & Girl Empowerment blog in Kenya (BAKE 2017 awards) and 2016 top Women & Girl Empowerment blog (African Blogger Awards). Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan momshere.
So now, there’s a time a member in the group shared a piece of her art work –a canvas painting depicting the reality of many women undergoing infertility challenges. It’s a piece that touched the hearts of many of the members.
I reached out to the artist –Christine Nyairo, seeking to know more about the inspiration behind that piece. Thankfully, Christine responded and today, I share that information with you.
TITLE: ‘’The Waiting Womb’’
MEDIUM: Acrylics on Canvas
Maryanne: Hi Christine. Tell us the the story behind this beautiful piece
Christine: Thanks Maryanne. This work was inspired by waiting experiences as shared by ladies on the Facebook group ‘Waiting Wombs’ (a support and encouragement forum for women and couples experiencing infertility challenges). The first thing I did after joining the community was to familiarize myself by reading all the posts. My heart was touched and broken at the same time. It was too much! I wanted to say something, a word of comfort perhaps, but no words could suffice. Since joining the group, no day has passed without me thinking about these ladies.
’The Waiting Womb’ by Christine Nyairo
One day, as I was teaching my student, a thought came to me; to paint my thoughts and dedicate it to the founder of the group together with all the waiting wombs.
The painting is a representation of the waiting journey. It has captured the bad and the ugly of waiting and the reward thereof. It is through the hourglass, that the chronology of waiting is captured.
The upper bulb of the hour glass is set on a dark background as if to show the darkest part of the night. The lady has been weighed down by waiting and is as sinking sand.
Her fallen countenance shows her state of hopelessness, disappointment, desperation, rejection, the stigma, unsolicited advice and in other cases, near death experiences. She is broken bit by bit into pieces small enough to pass through the narrow neck into the second bulb. She does not know what is in store for her.
The dark gently blends into the brighter background just as the darkest of nights ushers a beautiful dawn. This is the setting against which the second bulb stands. Everything about it is lit. You see as the tiny pieces fall and settle, they form someone new.
Piece by piece the lady comes to life. Her morning has come. Her prayers have been answered. She is smiling again; her strength is renewed and she is full of hope. She is glowing; the fruit of her womb is growing. She sunk so she could be saved. She lost so she could gain. Nothing was in vain. After all she was not barren; she was a waiting womb.
The artist, Christine Nyairo
My prayer and wish is for all waiting ladies to be inspired to hold on to faith and hope for there is beauty in what people consider ashes. Finally, I hope this painting will complement the efforts of the Waiting Wombs Trust in creating awareness.
Maryanne: Thank you Christine. That’s a deep and reflective piece!
Meanwhile, Waiting Wombs Trust is looking for counselors to help with some of their work. If you are one, or know of one who’d be willing to do so, please get in touch with Hadassa through the email hadassa@waitingwombstrust.org or waitingwombs@gmail.com
Share this post with a friend, sister, colleague, cousin or aunt who you know would benefit from this information.
Otherwise thanks for stopping by Mummy Tales and I wish you a blessed week ahead!
Mummy Talesis an organization dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Mummy Tales is the top Women & Girl Empowerment blog in Kenya (BAKE 2017 awards) and 2016 top Women & Girl Empowerment blog (African Blogger Awards). Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan momshere.
Hey people, hope you good. So two weeks ago, I decided, after years of procrastination, to add my family members to my NHIF. I just woke up and decided today is it. I’m gonna get this done, no matter what. Today today today.
The nearest NHIF office to me is the headquarters over there at Community. Now, I didn’t want to go in the morning hours because I figured there would be long queues because many people prefer getting things done in the morning hours. So I went at about 3.50pm and thankfully, there were only three people ahead of me 🙂
But first let me take you back a little bit. About two months ago, I’d emailed NHIF customer care asking about the documents I needed for me to add my dependents. I didn’t want to go to their offices, then queue for long, only to be told that I didn’t have this or that document meaning I’d have to go back another day. And I also didn’t want to send someone to run this errand for me because there are some tasks that I’d rather handle myself.
The Documents you Need to Add Dependents
So, I wanted to add my husband and two children as my dependents. The NHIF customer care had informed me that I needed the following documents:
Copy of my marriage certificate or a sworn affidavit from the Magistrate
Copies of birth certificates for each of my children. Or birth notification if the child is aged six months and below.
One colored passport size photo for each of the dependents
Copy of my ID
They didn’t say I needed my husband’s ID copy, but I carried it just in case.
The Process
So when I got to NHIF –I went to the Car Park building and straight to their Customer Care section. When my turn arrived, the lady at the counter asked if I had the necessary documents. With a very broad smile on my face, I said yes.
Then she asked again – “uko na documents zote kabisa?”
I replied: “Niko nazote zote zote kabisa”, this time with an even wider grin. I felt like a conqueror I tell you. I almost started rubbing my hands together in glee. As in I can’t tell you the happiness I was feeling just knowing that I had all the said documents 🙂
The lady then instructed me to fill a certain form, then take it to counter number 15.
A section of the form that I filled out.
Haya, so I filled the form, attached my dependents photos with some glue that they provide, then proceeded to counter number 15. At that counter I found six people ahead of me. I passed the time staring at one or two people, observing others and just trying to understand human behaviour 🙂
When my turn arrived, the guy at the counter took time going through my forms, checking and counterchecking, punching things into the computer, then checking my documents again. Then he told me:
“Madam itabidi ulete affidavit”.
Haiya! Affidavit tena? I told him that the photocopy of my marriage certificate was right there in his hands, so affidavit how now?
Then he said “oooohhhhh sikua nimeiona madam, pole.”
We both laughed, as I told him no worries.
He then told me my NHIF status will be updated with my dependents. Then he looked like he’d finished with me.
So I asked him: “That’s it?”
He replied: “Yes, that’s it.”
Then I repeated: “As in, niende sasa?”
He said: “Eeee madam tumemalizana.”
Oh cool! I was done at like 4.21pm. I walked out of the NHIF offices happily.
A week later I wrote again to customer care asking them if my dependents had been added, and they responded in the affirmative. So yeah, in a nutshell, that’s it. It’s certainly not a difficult process, just make sure you have all those documents that are needed and you’re good.
You may also like to watch Evalyne Gatheca’s inspiring story below:
I also got myself this 13-paged information pack that has details on other NHIF stuff.
Mummy Talesis an organization dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan momshere. Connect with Mummy Tales on:FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER
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“You’d Rather have Given Birth to a Mad Man, than Never Having Given Birth at all -Patricia Tells her Story
