In the coastal villages of Marereni, Kenya, the days often begin before sunrise. By the time the heat settles in, elderly men and women are already gathering under the shade of acacia trees. Many arrive quietly, hoping this will be the week they can receive the medication they have been unable to afford for months.
For years, the government clinics here have been thinly stocked and chronically understaffed. Private pharmacies, often the only other option, charge beyond the elders’ means. Some seniors try to stretch their prescriptions, taking half doses or going without altogether. Others simply wait for their symptoms to become unbearable before seeking help. It is not that these villagers do not want care, it is that care has become out of their reach. Responding to the need of the times, the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth have stepped in with an approach that is both modest and quietly life changing by establishing a community health outreach that is making a tangible difference in the lives of these men and women. And this week, through the generosity of donors through the 2025 Giving Tuesday campaign, a little more this an $8,000 was raised to help fund and fortify this outreach and establish a community-run pharmacy.
At the heart of the effort is Sister Vinaya Chalil, a familiar figure in the Marereni region. She visits homes where elders live alone or share cramped spaces with extended families. Some lack identification cards; others have never registered for pensions. Many did not even know they had hypertension or diabetes until volunteers arrived to test them during monthly support group gatherings. The pharmacy will change that. Located in the parish office, the stored medications will be brought to monthly meetings for distribution. Each member will carry a small ID card, nothing elaborate, but enough to keep the system fair and encourage wider participation. Local doctors and diocesan health officials will guide procurement, dosage standards, and record keeping to ensure the program stays safe and transparent.
The volunteers, trained with help from the Red Cross, are the program’s steady heartbeat. They monitor vitals, walk long distances to check on isolated elders, and serve as the first responders when a senior shows signs of slipping into crisis. In the past, when a volunteer found a patient with severe hypertension or uncontrolled sugar levels, they sometimes reached into their own pockets, offering 200 shillings so someone could buy a day or two of medicine. The support from donor funds will help alleviate that burden. The pharmacy aims to offer affordable, consistent access to the full combinations of drugs required to manage chronic conditions such as high blood pressure. It’s an effort that makes a real, human impact. Consider the story of Francis Osui, a soft-spoken elder who once lived with frequent seizures brought on by epilepsy and uncontrolled blood pressure. Without steady medication, he could not work, and on some days he could not leave his bed. When the Sisters intervened and helped secure regular access to treatment, the seizures subsided. His strength returned. He speaks now about walking again without fear, and his recovery is a reminder of what stable care can do for so many.
For these elders, this ministry is about far more than medications. It restores dignity to those who often depend on relatives for survival. It strengthens the bonds of community and reduces the stigma that can fall on older adults when illness leads to confusion or accidents. Above all these efforts respond to the Gospel call to care for those who are most vulnerable.
To everyone who gave this Giving Tuesday, we thank you. Your generosity helps ensure that elders in Marereni are not left to face their illnesses alone. Because of you, they are receiving the care they need and the reassurance that they have not been forgotten.
The Sisters’ mission in Kenya is still young and the need still great. But for now, doors are opening in homes across Marereni, where elders are finding the support and care they have lacked for far too long.