After the outbreak of COVID-19, many along with Peninah Kitsao, a widow from Kisauni in Mombasa County, Kenya, believed that the disease would be long forgotten over time. However, little did she know that the outbreak would leave her, and her eight children, famished in few months down the line.

A video that went viral in the past week featured Kitsao boiling stones to keep her hungry children hopeful amidst the famine.

"I have had nothing to feed my children, and so I decided to boil the stones so that my children would think that I am cooking something for them," Daily Nation quoted Kitsao.

And while she believed that her children would eventually fall asleep waiting for the food, they have now realised that she has been lying to them.

Kitsao's husband was killed by a criminal gang a few months ago. Her family has been battling poverty ever since.

It was only after she could no longer get a menial job required to feed her family did Kitsao's situation worsen. Due to the pandemic, the availability of jobs has been scarce in Kenya.

Earlier, Kitsao would wash clothes around her neighbourhood for a living. However, the outbreak caused people to become cautious. "I was no longer allowed in anyone's house," she was quoted saying to Daily Nation. "That's where I used to get my little money from, but now things have changed. I have nowhere to run to, and my children keep on crying because of hunger," she added.

Despite Mombasa Governor declaring the availability of free food for people like Kitsao, her tribulations did not cease to exist.

While the distribution of food has begun, Kitsao states that she hasn't received any benefits from the county government so far. However, after her video went viral on social media early this week, well-wishers began visiting the widow and helping her out.