Machachari actress Clara Wamaitha Ngethe alias Cindy or Mama Stella on Saturday, April 17 appealed to Kenyans of goodwill to raise Ksh150,000 to cater to her medical expenses as well as upkeep for her day-to-day basic needs.
Speaking on a show on YouTube, she detailed her struggles living with Vitiligo, a condition in which the skin loses its pigment cells hence resulting in discoloured patches.
"Before the show ended, I spotted some slight colouring on my hand. I wasn't keen on my skin but later on, I came to regret it," she stated.
She noted that the expenses accrued due to the tests and medication became a burden for her and her family- primarily her daughter Margaret Kariuki who she relied upon for support. The actress also narrated that at one point, one consultation and tests amounted to Ksh28,000.
As a result, the popular actress went into depression due to the condition and the financial disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. This led her to stay at home without a job as all her investments and businesses closed.
Mama Stella reached out to well-wishers to help her buy medicine as well as provide an opportunity for her to set up a business.
Vitiligo is a skin condition that occurs when cells that produce melanin die or stop functioning. This may be due to different factors such as a disorder of the immune system, family history or trigger events ie stress, severe sunburn, or contact with a chemical substance.
The condition affects people of all skin types and may affect either all skin surfaces or a few areas of your body depending on the type of vitiligo.
Universal vitiligo covers nearly the entire skin surface, segmental vitiligo covers only one side or part of the body, focal vitiligo covers only a few areas of your body while acrofacial vitiligo affects the face and hands.
During the interview, Mama Stella also talked about the influence her sister Kauthar Kang'ethe alias Mama Almasi had in her acting career.
According to the actress, her sister connected her to previous acting roles such as Wingu la Moto which aired on NTV as well as the acclaimed TV series Makutano Junction.
Further, she noted how people perceived her character played in Machachari in a negative aspect as some fans could not separate between the character and her real personality.
She also appreciated the role Tyler Mbaya (Baha), Malik Lemmy (Govi) and the entire Machachari family played in her life. She appealed to all actors in the film industry to aggressively pursue their dreams without losing hope.
