Martha's life didn't
really start until
she found a job.
When Martha Muulyau was four years old, she was diagnosed with polio. As her back is badly curved due to scoliosis, she has often had to be operated on. Despite these operations, Martha is handicapped. She also wears a pacemaker. It isn't that surprising that she was happy when she found a job at Ehafo, a project that helps handicapped people in Windhoek.
At Ehafo's, Martha met Christien Roos. Christien came to Namibia to work for Ehafo after she finished her studies in the Netherlands. In 1992 Martha and Christien co-founded Penduka. They founded this organisation to help disadvantaged women to improve the standards of living for themselves, but also for their (extended) family and their immediate environment.
Penduka achieves this by staying close to the women and by allowing these women to earn a living by doing what they do best: making beautiful products. Penduka encourages these women to use their skills to provide for themselves.
Mar-
tha
Martha comes from Omishe in Owambaland. She is one of Penduka's co-founders. When she was diagnosed with polio at the age of four, she went to live with her aunt. Her mother already had three children of whom she had
to take care.
Martha now lives at Penduka. She is a teacher and she helps making products for Penduka. Martha wants to build her own house in Katutura, Windhoek's township. When she is older, she would like to go back to Owambaland. She would like to help the elderly that never managed to leave. Lots of young people move to Windhoek to find work. Their parents and grandparents need to find a way to provide for themselves. Martha supports her family with the money she earns. She pays the food and the tuition fees for her cousins, nephews and nieces.
