Africa-Press – Kenya. Out of the universe, she had dreamt to travel for years. But when she went, Dr Hellen Nabwala Natu never returned to earth, not with her soul.
The president of Rotary Club of Entebbe, Uganda, only came to bid goodbye to her family and friends, which took less than three months.
Natu always desired to travel to the US, and visit the National Aeronautics and Space Administration which she believed opened up the earth to the universe.
The 67-year-old who had travelled to many countries considered her travel fad complete when in June she made the trip to America.
“My mother believed that the sky is no limit. She so long wanted to travel to NASA to see how the rockets set out to space,” Sheila Ommeh, Natu’s firstborn daughter, said.
It was the most satisfactory trip her mother made, and when she returned, she spoke so passionately about it.
“It did not seem like the most adventurous trip she had taken, but she was so content. In my mother’s heart, she had been let out into the universe,” Sheila said.
A month after her return to Uganda ,where Natu, worked as the regional manager of the Nile Basin Discourse in Entebbe, the sexagenarian started complaining of stomach pains.
“My sister brought her to Nairobi in September to seek further treatment. That is when it was discovered that she had a tumour in her liver which was malignant,” Sheila said.
The president of the Rotary Club of Entebbe underwent an unsuccessful surgery on September 24 and was put in ICU. She was pronounced dead the next morning.
Natu leaves behind five children; Sheila Ommeh, Maureen Ommeh, Cedric Ommeh, Marilyn Ommeh, and Melissa Ommeh and, several grandchildren.
Even more, she leaves behind fond memories of her life and times with her family which the family hopes to rekindle.
Top of the list is the family’s plan to revisit the Resurrection Garden in Karen where they often had a picnic after attending church service.
Amid sombre sobs, Sheila recounted how her mother packed tea, scones, fruits and juice and then laid down a lesso for the families to sit on.
“We all went for the picnic, my siblings and our children from 8.30 am. After Sunday service, she would buy all her grandchildren rosaries before we proceeded to the garden for the picnic,” Sheila tearfully said.
The daughter said her children are so deeply distraught and have a hard time dealing with the loss of a grandmother whom they fondly referred to as “Kukhu,” she said.
At Kukhu’s place, the grandchildren were assured of eating ugali with chicken which would be washed down with a cup of the proverbial Luhya tea, with a spoon of sugar.
Dr Natu completed her East African School Certificate at Butere Girls in 1974. She then proceeded to Alliance Girls on a scholarship where she obtained her East African Advanced Certificate of Education in 1976.
Her university life commenced at the University of Nairobi where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture in 1980.
She later obtained her master of science in Agricultural Economics from the University of Nairobi in 1986.
She also attained certificates from the University of Leeds, Harvard University, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, CINADCO/MASHAV Israel, World Bank Kampala Uganda and the United Nations.
“Having come from a very poor background with her single-mother selling bananas to take her and her brother to school, she ensured all of us got the best possible education,” Sheila said.
As a mother, Sheila said her mother preferred a more diplomatic approach often wrapped in narratives and proverbs.
“As an African mother, she didn’t dare spare the rod. We will miss her greatly, may she rest in peace,” she said.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
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