12/10/2025
๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐ก:
๐ด๐๐
๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐๐โ๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐
In the quiet corridors of Maina Soko Medical Centre, where life and death intersect every day, one woman has dedicated her life to giving dignity to those who can no longer speak for themselves.
Her name is Alice KATAMBO, a mortician whose work reminds us that compassion doesnโt end where life does, it continues, quietly through care, respect, and faith.
A widow and mother of four grown-up children, Madam Aliceโs journey to the mortuary was unconventional. She previously worked in the corporate world until she retired, years later she felt a calling that led her to a path few would choose.
Calm and soft-spoken, Madam Aliceโs presence is as comforting as it is humbling. For years, she has stood behind the scenes, performing one of the most sacred tasks in healthcare, preparing the departed for their final rest. Hers is not a job many would choose, but for Madam Alice, it is more than a career; it is a calling.
โI didnโt grow up thinking Iโd become a mortician,โ she begins with a gentle smile. โBut life has a way of leading you where youโre meant to be.โ
She recalls how her journey began in a hospital setting, where she first encountered the mortuary department. What others feared, she found purpose in.
โThe first time I witnessed a body being prepared, I was moved not by fear, but by peace. I saw dignity in the work and thought to myself, someone needs to do this with love and care. Thatโs how I found my calling.โ
โI was inspired by the desire to help families through their grief and to ensure that those who have passed are treated with the utmost respect. Losing my own family members made me understand the importance of dignity in death, and I wanted to provide that for others.โ
๐ป๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Working in a mortuary demands emotional strength few possess. The job is often misunderstood, seen by many as cold or frightening, and yet, behind every prepared body and every covered stretcher is a heart that feels deeply.
โItโs not easy,โ Madam Alice admits. โIn the beginning, I used to go home with the pain of what Iโd seen. The pain on the faces of grieving parents, children, relatives, and friends broke me, but over time I learnt that if I let emotion control me, I wouldnโt manage to serve others properly.โ
Her secret to peace lies in her faith. A devoted Catholic, Madam Alice begins and ends each day with prayer, a sacred ritual that helps her lay down the emotional weight of her work. Through prayer, she finds the grace to separate her duties from her personal life, leaving the pain and sorrow at the mortuary and carrying home only peace.
It is this delicate balance of empathy and composure, faith and professionalism, that enables her to continue doing what many could not endure.
๐จ ๐ฑ๐๐ ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Morticians often go unappreciated, their work hidden from the public eye. But for Madam Alice, the few words of gratitude she receives from families are enough to remind her why her work matters.
โSometimes a family will say, thank you for making them look peaceful. Those words mean everything. They remind me that Iโve helped someone find closure.โ
Despite her gentle spirit, she has had to confront harsh misconceptions.
โPeople think morticians are heartless, but thatโs not true. Weโre actually very compassionate, we just show it differently. Others think itโs a manโs job, but I believe compassion has no gender. What matters is how you treat those who can no longer speak for themselves.โ
Even her faith community took time to understand her calling.
โAt first, some people at church avoided me when they found out what I do. But over time, they saw that Iโm still the same person who loves God and respects life, and they began to accept me.โ
๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ด๐๐๐
Every mortician carries certain memories, the cases that stay with them long after the work is done. For Madam Alice, one such moment changed how she viewed her profession forever.
โThere was a young man, just in his twenties, who died in a road accident. His mother came to identify him, and the way she cried broke me. I thought of my own children and imagined one of them being in his place. That moment made me realize that every person we handle has a story, a family, and a love that has been interrupted.โ
Since then, she has paid special attention to the smallest details, how a body is dressed, how itโs presented, and how the family is received.
โSometimes, the way a loved one looks for the last time brings peace to those left behind. Thatโs what matters most.โ
๐จ ๐ธ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Her work is not without challenges, long hours, emotional strain, and the ever-present stigma that surrounds her profession. Yet Madam Alice continues to show up every day with grace and purpose.
โIt can be stressful when there are many cases, but I always remind myself that each one deserves the same care and dignity. Without us, thereโs no peace in death,โ she says.
What keeps her going, she says, is the satisfaction of knowing sheโs helped families heal.
โThe peace I see on a familyโs face when they collect their loved one is what keeps me going. Such moments remind me about the value of life, they remind me to love more and to live life more purposefully.โ
๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐
As the interview draws to a close, Madam Alice reflects on the meaning of her work. Her voice softens, but her words are firm:
โ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด. ๐ช๐ฒโ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ณ๐๐น ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฑ."
For Madam Alice, being a mortician is not about darkness or sorrow; itโs about grace. In a world that often hurries past grief, she remains a quiet guardian of peace and a reminder that even in death, compassion still lives.
