In the stretches of Halane village in Wajir East, Ugasa (not her real name), a resilient mother of five, carried a heavy burden — not just of raising her children alone, but of doing so in silence, with no support from the man who once shared her home and dreams.
When life became unbearably difficult, she did something courageous — she sought help.
At the Wajir Law Court, she met Stephen Gakonyo Wanyoike, a para-legal officer who, thanks Wajir Community Radio and UNDP for the support under the programme “On the move with Nomads on access to justice”through European Union Funding,to enhance access to justice to vulnerable communities in Wajir. Her complaint was simple but deeply human: the father of her children had abandoned his responsibility,with no financial support, no presence, no partnership in parenting.
Stephen, armed not just with knowledge but with empathy, saw this not as a case file, but as a family hanging by a thread. He chose dialogue over litigation, listening over lecturing.
Together with community elders, a traditional mediation was convened. Their, face to face with the mother of his children and the wisdom of the elders, the father confessed not rejection but frustration. He had been denied access to his children and distanced by pain and misunderstanding.
What followed wasn’t a courtroom ruling, but a human reckoning.
He agreed to pay Ksh 40,000 monthly for the children’s upkeep far more than what most formal court orders typically award in such cases. Not only did he pledge financial support, but he also reclaimed his place in his children’s lives. The children, no longer caught between two worlds, are now free to live with either parent, as they wish.
The parents made a commitment: no rigid orders, but an agreement that grows with their children. They pledged to review the terms as needs evolve a living agreement, not a legal formality. The Wajir East Children’s Department will monitor this partnership. And if either party breaks the promise, justice remains a step away in court, if needed.
But today, there is no court battle. There is understanding. There is peace. There is dignity for a mother who refused to give up, for a father who found his way back, and for children who now have both love and support.
This is more than a resolved case. It’s a story of a justice system that works beyond the walls of a courtroom,where community, compassion, and commitment heal more than any verdict could.
Thanks to the support of European Union through UNDP in partnership with Wajir Community Radio, para-legals like Stephen are bringing justice closer to the people not through fear, but through fairness.
