Penina Samuel’s Journey of Resilience and Leadership in Gangura Payam

“Despite the growing challenges of conflict, wildfires, and disease outbreaks, I have discovered a new purpose, bringing hope and resilience to my community here in Gangura Payam”. Says Penina.

Meet Penina Samul, a 45-year-old mother of seven, four girls and three boys and the head of her household after losing her husband to illness in late 2023. Now she faced the enormous challenge of raising her children alone. The hardships deepened in 2024 when a destructive wildfire wiped out her family’s granary, where she store's all her harvest.

“I lost my husband in late 2023 after a short illness. Now I am the lead of the family,” Penina reflects.

For a farming-dependent family, the loss was crippling. But instead of falling into despair, Penina decided to take action.

Determined to protect her family from future disasters, Penina began adopting preparedness and response strategies. Her life took a transformative turn in 2025 when she joined a Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CBDRRM) structure formed through World Vision’s Nexus Accelerated Fund.

Through this programme, community members are trained and empowered to anticipate, respond to, and recover from disasters. Penina quickly emerged as a leader and was elected Chairperson of the CBDRRM team in Gangura Payam.

Today, she leads efforts to strengthen resilience within her community. Penina now conducts door-to-door awareness campaigns, particularly targeting women, to encourage preparedness and safer practices during emergencies. Her leadership is now tested given the increasing risk of disease outbreaks, including Ebola and Mpox, in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

“In our culture, people greet each other through handshakes. However, I am doing my best to educate the community that during outbreaks like Ebola and Mpox, we must minimise physical contact. This is a big task,” she explains.

Her advocacy is not limited to disease prevention. Wildfires, one of the most persistent threats in Gangura, remain a major focus of her work.

Penina remains deeply committed to her children. She starts her day early, ensuring household chores are completed and guiding her eldest daughter, 15-year-old Sarah, to take on leadership roles at home when she is away.

World Vision’s Nexus Accelerated Fund has equipped the CBDRRM committees with essential life-saving tools such as first aid kits, stretchers, megaphones, protective gear and firefighting equipment.

These items enable communities to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies

Through leaders like Penina, World Vision continues to fulfil its commitment to building safer, more resilient communities. She has become a beacon of strength, a community leader and an advocate for resilience, transforming from grieving widow to fighter against impossible odds.

Story by Leju Alan Roba | Communication officer