Pastor Dorcas Rigathi could not hold back her tears as she recounted tales of widows in some parts of the country who have resorted to selling their bodies for food to sustain their families.
Speaking to religious leaders from Kilifi County on Thursday, February 29, Pastor Dorcas said it is so painful that some widows have been forced to exchange their bodies for sex to feed their children.
Mrs. Rigathi recounted her recent visit to Migori County, where some of the widows she now supports shared with her the hardships they face in providing for their children.
“I went to Migori, a widow is ‘selling’ her body to feed her child. And we are still talking about religion. It is very bad.
“Just ask yourself if that was your mother doing such to feed you, get your school fees. We need to go beyond religion and get them out of this mess. “She said.
“At the end nobody will be asked which religion they belonged to, but God will judge us based on how we did to help His people. God is the one to decide on who did the best and the right thing,” Dorcus said.
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Rigathi Calls on Religious Leaders to Join Hands
Pastor Dorcus expressed her intention to support widows regardless of their religious affiliation, emphasizing the importance for the clergy to unite in addressing the crisis.
“It’s imperative that we provide employment opportunities for these individuals. As religious leaders, whether Muslim or Hindu, we are uniquely positioned to break this cycle of hardship. Our nation requires a sober and compassionate society,” Pastor Dorcas Rigathi said.
She further called on the religious leaders both from the Muslim and Christians communities to help in uplifting the lives of the widows among other vulnerable populations in their areas.
“The crisis we are in, if the religious leaders will not stand and act, then we are not helping our people.”
She stressed that becoming a widow or living with disabilities does not depend on one’s religious beliefs.
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Pastor Dorcas Rigathi Concerned on the Rising Rate of Widows
Pastor Dorcas also observed the alarming prevalence of widows in Kilifi County and across the nation, highlighting that these numbers symbolize the loss of husbands and fathers, leaving the widows responsible for taking care of their children.
At the same time, the spouse of the Deputy President Rigathi GAchagua encouraged religious leaders to open their places of worship to street boys.
She conducted a week-long working tour of Kilifi County, focusing on programs for the boychild, widows, and persons with disabilities (PWDs), among others.
During this tour, she organized for a two-day free medical camp in Mbudzi area, Jaribuni ward, in Kilifi County.
In numerous meetings she has coordinated for widows across different regions, Pastor Dorcas consistently finds that the turnout exceeds expectations, which she finds concerning.
For instance, in the Kehancha area of Migori County, a meeting organized by the Office of the Spouse of the Deputy President for 500 widows ended up attracting 1,500 attendees.
