Zipporah Wambui, a widow, in her two-roomed mud-walled house that she shares with her children and late sister's orphans/ALICE WAITHERA

A widow in Laikipia who has been struggling to raise her three children and care for her deceased sister’s children has received a new home through an initiative honouring the legacy of former Housing Finance managing director Frank Ireri.

Zipporah Wambui, who lost her husband Moses Ndirangu, nearly eight years ago, has been living in a dilapidated, two-room mud-walled house in the Muramati, with a leaking roof and gaping walls.

The house has offered little comfort as she struggles to provide food, clothing and education for the family through casual labour.

Her responsibilities have extended beyond her three children to include her sister’s children, adding to the financial pressure she has faced while trying to keep the family afloat.

Wambui expressed gratitude to Habitat for Humanity Kenya, the Ireri family and other volunteers for providing her with a new three-bedroom house complete with an external sanitation facility and water-harvesting equipment, saying the gesture has restored her hope.

“At least we have hope in life because we have been carrying a heavy burden trying to live normally. We have also been struggling to meet the cost of educating the children, so it has not been easy,” she said.

Angie Ireri, Veteran banker Frank Ireri's widow, during the construction of a three-roomed house for a vulnerable family in Laikipia on October 26, 2026/ ALICE WAITHERA

The house is being built through the Frank Ireri Build, an initiative organised by his family and friends in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Kenya, to commemorate the first anniversary of his death.

Ireri, who died aged 63 last year, was a respected banker and housing finance expert who led Housing Finance, now HF Group, as MD from 2006 to 2018.

He later chaired the board of Habitat for Humanity Kenya, where he championed access to decent and affordable housing for vulnerable families.

His widow, Angie Ireri, explained that the initiative was conceived as a practical way of celebrating his life and continuing the work he supported for more than two decades.

“Today marks the first year of his passing, and Habitat for Humanity came up with the idea to celebrate his legacy by having the Frank Ireri Build,” she said.

During his time with the organisation, Ireri regularly participated in house-building activities in different parts of the country, she said. He had also expressed a desire to take part in a build with his sons, although he did not live long enough to fulfil that wish.

Volunteers helping to build a home for a widow using interlocking building blocks at Muramati in Laikipia county/ ALICE WAITHERA

Angie brought together family members and friends to participate in the construction, giving them an opportunity to learn more about the organisation's work and contribute directly to improving the living conditions of a vulnerable household.

She added that the experience has deepened her understanding of the organisation's role in helping families overcome poverty and has expressed her family's intention to continue the initiative in the coming years.

“It has been a real eye-opener for family and friends. We are going to continue this tradition of the Frank Ireri Build, and we look forward to building more houses.”

Habitat for Humanity Kenya board member Koome Kiragu said that Ireri's contribution to the organisation extended beyond fundraising and advocacy to practical interventions that improved the lives of vulnerable communities.

During his more than 20 years of involvement with the organisation, Ireri helped strengthen partnerships that brought together institutions, businesses and individuals to address housing challenges.

He was also instrumental in supporting families displaced by the 2007–2008 post-election violence.

Volunteers, including Frank Ireri's family members and friends, and community members help to construct a house for a widow in Laikipia county/ ALICE WAITHERA

Through Habitat for Humanity Kenya, he and other board members helped facilitate the settlement of more than 230 families in Mai Mahiu, where Habitat for Humanity Village stands as a lasting reminder of the intervention.

Kiragu highlighted the training of local artisans as another important milestone associated with Ireri's work, explaining that the programme has equipped young people with practical skills to earn a living in the building industry.

The programme has trained more than 200 artisans in Laikipia, many of whom have since found work in construction projects in Nanyuki and surrounding areas.

The organisation's partnerships manager, Rita Munyae, said that the initiative also promotes volunteerism by bringing together people from different backgrounds to contribute labour and resources towards constructing homes for families in need.

The approach enables families, corporate organisations, institutions and individual volunteers to pool resources and work alongside Habitat for Humanity Kenya to provide decent housing.

Beyond his work with the organisation, Ireri was recognised for transforming Housing Finance during his tenure, expanding access to mortgage finance and championing innovative housing solutions. He also served as a director at Centum Real Estate.