Single mother of 6 gets new start after selling water on wheelbarrow

By Salim Umar Ibrahim

A water vendor in Kano, Gambo Haruna, has received a lifeline after the Daily Trust newspaper published a story about her struggles. Haruna, a single mother of six, has been selling water on wheelbarro to support her family for the past two years.

Daily Trust had reported that the woman whose husband died six years ago after a protracted illness, has been pushing wheelbarrow for the past two years, selling water to fend for her six children.

Living in a rented rickety old thatched mud house, she manages a single room, of which she pays N12,000 per year at Gadar Katako, Rimin Kebe area of Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano.

However, Gambo, today, owns a three-bedroom house and a shop attached courtesy of a philanthropic gesture that comes her way.

 The house, which was bought for her, is currently undergoing repairs before she packs in.

Similarly, as at the first instance, Haruna got a cash of N50,000 from the member representing Ungogo and Minjibir Constituency alongside a carton of macaroni and spaghetti.

It was also learnt that another helper has reached out to her with a bag of millet.

It was reported that life has become extremely difficult for this woman in her early 30s; hence she looks older than her age.

And she is embracing every challenge life throws at her by the day.

She told our correspondent that she toiled day and night to fend for her children as she would not want to resort to begging or engage in any illegal activity while subjecting her condition to the will of God, and prayed that she would soon see the light of day.

Despite the hardship she faces, Gambo does not see any reason her children would not go to school. She deals with the situation and sends them to school at all cost because she believes that with education, her children will not be in her shoes, even if she is not alive.

On this also, a philanthropic gesture has come her way as many have reached out and showed interest in offering help on the issue of sponsoring the children’s education.

On the business of water vending and the challenges she is facing, Gambo said it required extra energy, adding that she only got between N750 and N1,000 a day, from which she paid N150 to the owner of the wheelbarrow.

However, this has been solved as two philanthropists also who asked not to be mentioned have sought her opinion on her chosen business with the promise of offering befitting capital.

As at the time of filing this report, more interventions are coming to the mother of six.