Several years ago, Gladys Wairimu Kamande, a Nairobi resident, captured the nation’s sympathy with her battle against life-threatening lung complications. Confined to a wheelchair, reliant on oxygen concentration, and living in blindness, her struggle came into the spotlight when a street boy broke into tears after seeing her condition — a moment that went viral and stirred nationwide support.
Her story reached philanthropist Ndung’u Nyoro and others, leading to a swift fundraising effort. Through crowdsourced donations, over KSh 9 million was raised to facilitate her travel to India for specialized treatment.
Kamande, who was unable to sign documents due to her visual impairment, clarified that she was not a signatory to the funds. Instead, her family and the organizing philanthropist oversaw the finances. Once in India, her condition worsened upon arrival, requiring immediate attention in an intensive care unit, including the procurement of a specialized oxygen tank to support her recovery. A subsequent visit to India successfully restored her eyesight.
Despite her recovery, traces of skepticism emerged. Social media posts showing her transformed health prompted some Kenyans to question whether the campaign had been a ruse. Kamande responded with heartfelt frustration, emphasizing that she could not have defrauded so many reputable medical institutions and goodwill ambassadors. Her recovery, she stressed, was proof that the efforts were genuine.
Following her treatment, approximately KSh 4 million remained in the account. After deliberations involving her family, the philanthropist, and legal counsel, it was decided that KSh 2 million would be used for her final medical trip, and the remaining KSh 2 million would be directed toward other patients at Kenyatta National Hospital who needed urgent care.
Ndung’u Nyoro also reflected on the campaign’s outcome, noting that the original aim was to raise KSh 7 million. In just over a week, they managed to gather about KSh 9.5 million, which covered medical trips and left a surplus for broader community health support.
