It has been an amazing year for award-winning Home Instead® Care Professional Mawazo Nyabenda. Since joining Home Instead of south-central Houston, Mawazo has been honored as the franchise’s December Care Pro of the Month and Care Pro of the Quarter. It also would be no stretch for the office staff to tout Mawazo as the Care Pro Companion of the Year and Care Pro Singer of the Year, if there were such awards.
Mawazo assists two regular clients, a 97-year-old gentleman and a 99-year-old lady. When asked about her clients’ activities, Mawazo described the various ways in which she bolsters their spirits. The most notable pastime might be music. “My client and I like to play her piano and sing her favorite songs. Among them are songs by a Kenyan artist named Charisma. Her songs include popular singles such as ‘True Love’ and ‘Sina Noma.’ ” Mawazo explained.
Mawazo’s other client activities:
- “We like to put together puzzles.”
- “We walk outside when the weather allows us to do so.”
- “We like to read the newspaper and also watch the television.”
- “We like to draw things.”
Mawazo said: “I bring all necessary assistance to my clients and give them a smile while honoring and respecting them. I like caring for seniors because I am compassionate and thus inspired to assist them with their activities of daily living and any other challenges.”
Mawazo added: “By the end of the day, we have had a great day.”
Mawazo has made lasting impressions on her clients, their family members and staff at the Home Instead franchise that has been owned by Certified Senior Advisor Greg Gomez-Mira since 2013. Home Instead Human Resource Manager Margi Kenny, who announced Mawazo’s awards, said: “When Mawazo joined Home Instead on May 27, 2025, she really hit the ground running and has accepted so many assignments, whether they are regular assignments or fill-in shifts.”
Margi pointed out: “Mawazo has a genuine heart as well as a calm and positive attitude. She has been successful wherever she is sent. She responds to staff messages and phone calls in an outstanding way. We never wonder if she’ll return a call – she always does!”
Margi also said Mawazo displays Home Instead’s guiding principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.” Referring to Mawazo’s team-first efforts, Margi added: “Home Instead’s mission is to enhance the lives of aging adults and their families, and to pioneer greater professionalism within care work. Mawazo has truly helped us create a care experience that’s based on human touch, transparency and compassion.”
Mawazo found Home Instead during an online job search. “As far as professional senior care goes, I started working in Arlington Virginia, in food service, then in housekeeping and finally in caregiving. Altogether, those positions stretched from February 2001 to July 2019,” Mawazo explained. “In my family caregiving experience in my African homeland, I took care of my parents. Thinking of them, that’s how I assist my Home Instead clients and their family members. I love all my clients.”
Mawazo loves being a part of the Care Pro team for one of Texas’ outstanding Home Instead franchises, members of the world’s largest home-care network and the most advanced care platform. Overall, there are more than 100,000 Care Pros across 13 countries, meeting the growing needs of millions of older adults and their families worldwide.
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (713) 774-2215 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website at HomeInstead.com/541.
