Fans donate cash for Conjestina's treatment

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Kenya’s former women’s World International Boxing Federation (WIBF) middleweight champion, Conjestina “Hands of Stone” Achieng. Photo  Nation Media Group

By JOHN MUCHIRI and AYUMBA AYODI newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Wednesday, September 5  2012 at  19:50

IN SUMMARY

• The video, shot by Kiss TV, showed how Conjestina has been living in abject poverty in a one room house at Lucky Summer estate, in the outskirts of Nairobi.
• However, through the social sites, Kenyans have come out in large numbers in the last 48 hours, led by top celebrities, to help Conjestina.
• In less than 24 hours, over Sh100,000 had been raised with contributions being updated on the social sites pages by bloggers.
• Rapper Nonini paid her four months rent arrears. Her rent is Sh2,000 a month yet she was not able to pay and risked being evicted by the landlord.
• Dan “Churchill” Ndambuki pledged to pay her rent for the next one year, while he joins hands with other Kenyans to help her access medical help, which is much needed now.

Kenya’s former female world boxing champion Conjestina “Hands of Stone” Achieng has been off the headlines for a while, but not until two days ago, when a video showing her current mental state went viral in the social network sites.

The video, shot by Kiss TV, showed how Conjestina has been living in abject poverty in a one room house at Lucky Summer estate, in the outskirts of Nairobi.

However, through the social sites, Kenyans have come out in large numbers in the last 48 hours, led by top celebrities, to help Conjestina.

In a Facebook and Twitter pages titled “Kenyans for Conjestina”, hundreds of people have been contributing cash through M-Pesa to help the former boxing champion who brought so much glory to Kenya during boxing championships worldwide.

Facebook and Twitter

Kenyans on Facebook and Twitter social sites started giving out ideas on how they can help Conjestina out of her agony, and a number was circulated for M-Pesa contributions.

In less than 24 hours, over Sh100,000 had been raised with contributions being updated on the social sites pages by bloggers.

Among the first Kenyan celebrities to mobilise people to contribute included rapper Hurbert “Nonini” Nakitare and top comedian Dan “Churchill” Ndambuki.

Nonini paid her four months rent arrears. Her rent is Sh2,000 a month yet she was not able to pay and risked being evicted by the landlord.

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Churchill pledged to pay her rent for the next one year, while he joins hands with other Kenyans to help her access medical help, which is much needed now.

By Wednesday evening, Nonini was opening an account with a local bank in order to get an M-Pesa Paybill Number, for transparency on cash contributions from well wishers.

“The account will help us be more transparent, instead of giving a personal number like it had been the case. The signatory will be someone from Congestina’s family and I,” said Nonini.

Other key Kenyan personalities who joined the efforts by paying her a visit included Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s wife Ida, and diplomat Yvonne Khamati.

The former World Boxing Council (WBC) contender was treated in January last year at Mathari Mental Hospital where she was admitted after the Nation highlighted her father’s passionate cry for help.

A distraught  Mzee Clement Adala was worried that her daughter wasn’t herself any more, as she exhibited strange behaviour by burning her boxing gear and was refusing to see any of her family members.

Well-wishers might have come in with help on Wednesday after her condition resurfaced, but it is the commitment and seriousness of the boxer and her family that will dictate her full recovery.

While treatment is vital at this time, it should be followed by rehabilitation, counselling and change of her current environment to facilitate proper recovery.

It appears that even after the boxer was discharged with only two weeks upon admission at the mental hospital, doctor’s appointments were not followed to the letter.

According to one of the doctor’s who attended to the boxer, this could have contributed to her current condition, in addition to a lifestyle that doesn’t go in line with the recovery programme of her treatable condition.

“Resuming boxing with only months upon being discharged wasn’t proper, since she was given not less than one-and-half- years before engaging in any boxing,” said the physician, who sought anonymity.

Mzee Adala said on Wednesday that while her daughter might have been discharged early after showing signs of recovery, she absconded vital doctor’s appointments.

“I reside upcountry hence it’s hard for me to monitor her appointments. Conjestina is tough on her hapless sisters,” said Mzee Adala, who was planning to travel to Nairobi.

“I just want a lasting solution to her illness and I am grateful to all those who are trying to help out.”

Sports commissioner Gordon Oluoch said the government can only help to some extent, but it takes a personal and family initiative for full recovery.

Mr Oluoch said the country’s sportsmen and women earn quite a lot of money but they need to be enlightened on how to invest, especially those who didn’t have the opportunity to go to school.

“We have helped her as much as we could, including paying for her medical bills as the ministry promised. It’s the family that should have ensured she honours appointments.” 

Upon admission at Mathari Mental Hospital, minister for Sport Paul Otuoma visited her to facilitate her transfer from the normal ward to a private wing.

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The boxer who has vied for the WBC World title thrice was discharged two weeks later upon recovery as the government  footed her hospital bills.

Conjestina would promise to concentrate on nurturing new boxing talent and train female boxers through the Conjestina Achieng’ Foundation.

Resume training

However, she was to resume training within eight months after being discharged but her intended bout in December last year became a cropper after her medical condition recurred.

In March, this year, Achieng appeared before court in Nairobi to answer to charges of unlawfully assaulting her land lady Fridah Adhiambo after the pair differed.

However, the accuser decided to withdraw her case against Achieng after a private session in the senior resident magistrate Teresia Mwangi’s chambers at the Makadara Law Courts in Nairobi.