Wanja Mwaura
Her dedication towards helping others has earned her a soft spot in the hearts of many. She is often willing to contact and help any one struggling with a problem.
She has been on national media headlines after she shared her recent fight with Covid-19. On July 31, 2021, she took to her Facebook page appealing for prayers from members of the public as she battles the deadly virus.
Education
Details of Wanja’s prior education remain unknown to the general public, but she is a trained and accredited nurse.
Patrick Hinga
Wanja warmed herself into the hearts of many when she helped a former streetboy begin his journey from addiction to sobriety.
In October 2017, the 36 year old nurse was on her way to the market in Lower Kabete, when she heard someone call out her name. When she looked back, she saw a tall, emaciated man with bulging eyes and dirty clothes seated by the side of the road.
He described himself to her only for Wanja to realise it was a friend she had known since she was seven years old. He told her he only wanted to say hello.
“Patrick, or Hinga as we called him, and I had met at primary school in 1992,” says Wanja, who is a nurse from Kiambu County, just outside the Kenyan capital.
“Hinga used to be a great soccer player all throughout school. We nicknamed him ‘Pele’,” she told BBC in 2017.
She later appealed to members of the public through social media for support in helping Hinga find his way to sobriety.
“Rehab here is very expensive and I had no ways of raising funds on my own,” she said.
“We set up a crowdfunding page, but we only managed to raise around 41,000 Kenyan shillings (£300) initially. However the cost of nine days rehabilitation at Chiromo Lane Medical Center in Nairobi was more than 100,000 KES.
“I wasn’t sure how we would be able to cover this,” she noted.
Her plight later caught the attention of businessmen and media houses began covering her story and Chiromo Lane Medical Center agreed to waive the entire fee for Hinga’s treatment. He got the treatment he needed and became sober.
Unfortunately, Hinga passed on in March 2019 due to stomach complications.
Philanthropy
Wanja founded Wanja Mwaura foundation, a non-govenmental organisation that purposes to help the less fortunate and those in dire need of support in society.
“touching lives with kindness and love, living them better than the way we found them,” the foundation’s mission reads in part.
Through her foundation, she highlights the plight of needy cases and helps them seek and get the help they deserve. She helps fundraise and advice them on the proper course of action.
Covid-19
On July 31, Wanja revealed to Kenyans that she had been battling Covid-19 and appealed for consideration in prayer.
She shared the following message on her Facebook page.
HELP ME FIGHT!!
Tonight has been the most roughest night for me. I have been unwell because this covid 19 demon has hit me hard. I’m not gonna hide my status in fear of bieng stigmatized. It is the way it is.
It has been a tough night, breathing is an issue, I’m tired of the heavy breathing n deep breath, fevers skyrocketing, I don’t know which is the best position to sleep on despite trying to sleep on my belly. It is super crazy.
I just don’t know what to do anymore. Thank God my children are safe. They understand that mama has to be away from them n isolated. I pray for their minds n heart to be strong enough to help me go through this.
I thank God for my doctor. Dr Karanja of Laveen hospital thika. This guy is just the bomb, walking with me through this n showing me to treat it as any other normal disease has helped me keep on keeping on.
But all through the night last night has been the most crazy one. The way fevers are treating me is unkind. My oxygen levels are ok. Its is not easy for me n am crushing down emotionally, especially now I have to be alone, no one to hug me n tell me it’s gonna be ok or see friends over for a visit. Its just me against this this.
I know I need to keep a positive attitude in order to beat this thing but I’m human, I can’t help it but to get emotionally down sometimes.
I need your help family. The kind of help I need from u is to pray for me. I need to pull this through for the sake of my children. Say a prayer for me dear ones. I know I have enemies to who will rejoice when they see this but I really don’t care. I know I have few genuine friends here who will carry the burden of praying for me. Help me dear ones to fight this thing.
Giving up
On the morning of August 1, she took to social media to indicate her hopelessness, a post that attracted numerous Kenyans who shared messages of encouragement.
“I want to give up now. Done my best fighting. No longer strong enough to keep up the fight. Am down to my very last. I need to rest from this pain n discomfort. I am tired,” she posted.
Kenyans urged her to remain strong, noting that her family needs her, and sharing stories of how others have recovered from the virus.
“Faith you can never give up, your kids need you the most…stay strong for your kids,” one user stated.
