God Loves Us Equally | Navoku Memuruti’s Story of Hope

TANZANIA – While losing a spouse can be devastating for anyone, widows in many cultures across the world face particularly crippling circumstances. Many widows lose financial security, are denied inheritance and land rights, and face eviction from their homes, with no remaining community to turn to for help. Many express that it is difficult to believe in God’s goodness and love after the death of a husband. However, for Navoku Memuruti there was still hope.

All Hope Was Gone 

Widows in Tanzania, specifically, have historically faced adversity and financial hardship.* Such was the case for Navoku Memuruti. Left alone with seven children after her husband’s death, basic needs like laundry soap became a luxury. As she shares, “When I lost my husband, all hope was gone… I was thinking, ‘how will I take care of my seven kids,’ but through all that I stayed focused and faithful to God.” 

What She Had in Her Hands 

Left with little, Navoku turned to what she had in her hands and started selling vegetables out of her garden. At first, she sold tomatoes and leafy greens to provide for her family. She discovered a local savings group equipped by HOPE Tanzania and joined, saving $1-$2 per week. With loans from her group, she was able to pay school fees and buy food for her children. She has diversified the produce she offers at her roadside stand to include fruits and staples like onions, potatoes, and maize.  

Deeply Loved and Full of Hope 

Navoku and her children live in a lovely – but small – traditional mud and thatch house. She dreams of building a larger brick house for herself and her children. As is the custom for homebuilding in communities like hers, she plans to build her house piece by piece and has already bought iron sheets for the roof.  

Having received a helping hand herself, Navoku offers free vegetables to neighbors in need. She says being alone (as a widow) has never been easy, but the women in her group pray for her and encourage her to keep going. 

“I have learned that God loves us equally, regardless [of if] you have a husband or not. Depending on God is something that I will always do.” 

*Sources include UN Human Rights Watch (https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/06/23/international-widows-day-little-celebrate-tanzania) and The Citizen, a publication from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/oped/how-widows-moved-from-grief-to-growth-2642906)