Kenyan Family Appeals for Help to Repatriate Bodies of Kin Found Dead in Finland
A Kenyan family is appealing for financial assistance from well-wishers to repatriate the bodies of their two kin who were found dead in their food truck in Finland.
The family from Kisumu is racing against time to bring back the bodies of Catherine Anyango, 43, and her daughter Michelle, 25, to Kenya for burial due to Finland’s policy of burying unclaimed bodies in 30 days.
They fear Finnish authorities may dispose of the bodies as they are struggling to raise the Sh4.6 million required for three close relatives to travel to Finland and bring back the bodies, and pay mortuary fees and other requirements.
“We have been running around to meet the deadlines since the deaths were reported … we only have 17 days left, yet none of us has been able to secure even a visa,” said Anyango’s mother Roselyn Aketch.
“We have been in the dark since the deaths were reported. Nobody has tried to reach out to us in any way. Our biggest fear is having our relatives laid to rest in a foreign land in our absence. Our other option is to travel to Finland and witness the burial of the two, but we will still need at least Sh2.6 million for the expenses of the three family members, including myself, who are listed as my late daughter's next of kin,” she added.
Aketch said her daughter was the family’s breadwinner and has four other children who are now orphaned.
Anyango and Michelle are said to have gone to work in the resort town of Nilsi, where they had a food stand, but did not return home.
The two were found dead inside their food van at the main parking lot of a resort town on February 9th.
Anyango, who was to graduate from nursing school before the end of the year, operated a part-time catering business on weekends. She moved to Finland in search of greener pastures in 2008 after her husband died.
“We had been trying to reach her from February 3, but the calls went unanswered. One of her sisters later contacted the police, before their bodies were discovered lying side by side in their van,” said Aketch.
Anyango and Michelle visited Kenya in October 2022 to renew their passports before traveling back to Finland in early November.
Comments (6)
Imagine there is no link how to contact them. Been searching in vain
poleni sana. But why 3 people travel to witness? Why not just 1?
If the bodies are to b put to rest in Scandinavia after the mentioned 30 days, then I bet with 98% accuracy that they will b cremated coz no open spaces at burial sites. Cremation is normal there and relatives can take the secured harsh for burial in Kenya or or so
My heartfelt condolences 💐❤️
My heartfelt condolences 💐❤️!
I have to be wary of this statement am making. But, oh well....after a long time of contemplation I think this time is just as good as any other.
Here we go ..
After having lived here in the states for a good 18 yrs, finally made it back in 2018. Saw things in the churches of Nairobi and it's suburbs that I never believed happened here on planet earth milky way galaxy.
Kwa mfano, hizi pesa mnatuma home zinatumiwa na some of your parents kuwafunga, then eventually they sacrifice you for their own gain in longevity, power and wealth. Yes, mnatolewa tambiko.
Matter of factly, some of us are in the process of denouncing their kenyan citizenship.
Good luck continuing to send those $$. Hata huto tuplot once you buy them, your parents will grow crops (kiasi kidogo tu) just enough to offer as a sacrifice connected to your working hands. Connected with your sweat.
But, fear not. Our Almighty God is totally against this practice as EVIDENCED in Leviticus 18:21.
Victory ni kwa jina la Yesu tu! At the sound of his name every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the father. Amen!
Huto tupentecostal churches... Hmmm!
Haiya! Nimemaliza!
PS//. Not trying to insinuate anything pertaining to their deaths. Too many young Kenyans are dying ovyo ovyo tu while living abroad and, felt time is now to say something.