Other conflicts that result from drunkenness, she shared, are women causing disturbances by engaging in affairs with other people’s husbands.
Also in attendance at the Saturday event was Turkana County first lady, Margaret Nanok and the County’s Executive Committee Member for Health Services and Sanitation, Jane Ajele.
The Nuns donated basic items such as sanitary towels, soap, body lotion and milk to the six children who live with their mothers behind bars. Additionally, foodstuffs such as baking flour, rice, cooking oil and sodas were donated with the support of the government officials.
Sr. Winnie said that the presence of the two government officials was important as the inmates were assured of inclusion in the government plans and budget.
“The last time we visited the prison was during lockdown; we saw that the inmates didn’t have a hall for their social activities. We invited some government officials who saw the situation and now, we see a newly constructed hall,” she said.
(Story continues below)
Female inmates at Lodwar Prison are engaged in a variety of activities such as sewing, beadwork among other hands-on activities aimed to help them transition from life in prison to family life.
The challenge they face, the Nun explained, is getting raw materials for their activities as well as market linkages for their products.
There are various Religious Congregations of Nuns engaged in different apostolates, including health, education, pastoral and well as social work in the Diocese of Lodwar.
These Nuns, Sr. Winnie said, put up with a myriad of challenges, key among them the lack of resources and the vastness of the Kenyan Diocese.
“There are 68 members of AOSK here and we would have wanted to come together in the Saturday event. But we couldn’t because the Diocese is so vast and we are spread out in distant places from each other,” Sr. Winnie who doubles as the Medical Coordinator of the Diocese told ACI Africa, adding that the Nuns were allowed to celebrate the event in their various deaneries.
The roads in the Diocese are also in poor states and the Nuns find it challenging going on mission in distant places.
“Here we have seasonal rivers, which flood in a matter of hours. You cross them in the morning comfortably but when you come back in the evening, you find it flooded and you find yourself stuck on the other side. It is a big challenge for us,” the AOSK official in Lodwar Diocese shared.
Those involved in school and hospital apostolates also lack important resources for their apostolate, including school buses and cars and some are forced to walk for miles to their missions.
With Kenya’s devolved governance system that created County governments, Catholic Nuns in Lodwar Diocese have also been forced to surrender some of the institutions they managed to the government, cutting them from donor funding, Sr. Winnie said.
“Before devolution, the Catholic Church in Lodwar was referred to as the government because of the services that we gave to the people through donation from outside. Today, the donations have dropped significantly and some of the institutions we managed such as schools and hospitals have been taken up by the County government,” she explained.
In her message to all female prisoners on the International Women’s Day, Sr. Winnie says, “Strive to be good models of society. You may think that behind bars, you are not important members of society but you are. Even in prison, you can provide good examples to others depending on how you choose to lead your lives.”
She also calls on women Religious to serve other people selflessly saying that it is such service that keeps her moving in one of Kenya’s hardship missions.
“As Religious, let us remember that we have been called to serve the poor. Before I serve myself, I need to first ensure that others are comfortable. This should be our greatest source of joy,” she says.
Sharing about her own experience, the Ugandan-born ASN member said, “When I entered Religious Life, I remember saying that my inspiration was to serve the poor and least in society.”
“And when I came to Kenya, I was asked whether I didn’t see any poor people in Uganda where I was born and grew up. I remember my answer which keeps me moving till now. I said that it is in serving the poor that I do not know that I get so much satisfaction,” Sr. Winnie told ACI Africa March 8.
Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.
