As many street children as there are in the world, there are also as many reasons for them being there.
While some children are lured by the promise of excitement and freedom, the majority are pushed onto the street by desperation and a realisation that they have nowhere else to go.
Every single child has their own unique story and the reasons for their connection to the streets will vary from country to country, city to city, and from person to person just like that of two boys rescued by a wellwisher in Nyeri town.
Sharing the boys’ story on his Facebook page, Mithamo Muchiri said he was approached by one of them when he was at a parking lot in of one of the supermarkets Nyeri town and the boy asked to be bought for break.
Unbothered, Mithamo who is also a politician, asked the young boy to follow him to a nearby restaurant so they could have breakfast together.
But before the tea was served, the young boy told him he had a friend whom he had left outside and he could not eat without him. Mathira told him to go for his friend.
“A discussion ensued as we enjoyed tea with mandazi. That’s when I noted both street boys do not have parents,” he wrote.
Interested in understanding why they were living in the streets, a Mithamo learnt that they both had grandmothers who lived in Kīawara, a slum Estate in Nyeri county. The two boys also said they would like to go back to school and Mithamo did not even think twice about it.
“So I drove them to their grandmothers where we agreed to take the boys to school,” he said.
“Thereafter to the sub-chief who committed to take them to school on Monday, January 1, morning,” he added.
The politician did not just leave it at that, he provided the uniforms and full fees for the two boys for one year.
His actions were lauded by internet users who likened him to an angel living among human beings.
Victor Kirui wrote: “That’s the heart of a concerned Kenyan, thank you and God will bless you and your family lineage.”
Dorothy Runji wrote: “If we can have 100 such hearts, Kenya we would be far. Thank you so much, Mithamo, may you never lack in Jesus name.”