Mama Salina: an extraordinary grandmother

Watch Salina's story above

Grandmother in kenya

In a small Kenyan village in Homa Bay County lives an extraordinary woman.

Affectionately nicknamed ‘Mama Saline’ by local children, at 84-years-old she has lived in poverty her entire life. She has few possessions and very little money but is immensely generous to those around her. Always putting others first.

Salina Odera is a true unsung hero.

It takes 4,000 bricks to build a house in Kenya, and one extraordinary grandmother to turn it into a home

Thanks to the compassion of people like you, the tide is turning on housing poverty in Kenya.

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Grandmother in kenya

In a small Kenyan village in Homa Bay County lives an extraordinary woman.

Affectionately nicknamed ‘Mama Saline’ by local children, at 84-years-old she has lived in poverty her entire life. She has few possessions and very little money but is immensely generous to those around her. Always putting others first.

Salina Odera is a true unsung hero.

Life before Salina's new home

“The house is particularly bad when it rains. Everything gets soaked. There’s no proper floor, it’s very dusty and I cough all the time.

We have no water supply. Mary walks two kilometres every day to fetch water for us. I wish I could do more. I wish I could be younger, so I could help with fixing the house. But I struggle with anything too physical now.

Sleep is hard for all of us. The insects come out at night. Bed bugs, termites, and fleas. Rats also come in because of all the holes in the walls.” 

Salina's life now

“I am so happy for the children. They’ll be able to focus on their school work more. It’s much less dusty in the new house, my cough will improve, we’ll be able to sleep at night. I have a decent toilet now too. And a water supply. I could never have dreamt to have a safe home like this.”

Being able to leave her grandchildren the legacy of a decent home and the start in life she never had means the world to Salina. 

Take action

If 15 supporters like you give a gift of £30 today, we could buy enough bricks to build a home in Kenya like Salina’s.

For millions of other grandmothers across the world, support from kind people like you is a lifeline, freeing them from a horrendous poverty cycle and onto the path towards a better future.

Donate now