It is on a chilly Friday morning, Koinonia rescue team makes its way through the streets of Nairobi. The team heads towards Mlango, Mutindwa, Ngara, Parklands and along Odeon, on one single mission to rescue young boys who are ready for a new start.
Over the past couple of months, the team has been engaging in street work in order to create a rapport with the children living the streets. Today 21 boys aged between 4-14years are now ready to have a fresh start.
Ten year old Ken Kariuki* not his real name, left home after a disagreement with his mother at their home in Kariobangi. After spending a couple of nights away from their home, he got influenced by his friends to head to the city center. He has been living in the streets for the last one year. This is one of the biggest regrets in his life. While at the streets he has been exposed to various drugs including glue and bhang, getting bullied by the older boys and worse having running battles with the police.
This story is not unique to Kariuki and replicates among the other boys as well. Many at times young boys and girls seek refuse to the streets as a means of running away from disagreements and poverty at homes.
Kariuki looks at this opportunity as something that will transform his life for the better. He also hopes to get an education, actualize his dreams of becoming a mechanical engineer and hopefully one day reconcile with his mother.
The boys are taken to the Ndugu Mdogo Rescue Center where they will be rehabilitated over the next couple of months.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. The 21 young boys just began a new journey. It will not be easy as it is one that will require them to change for the better and like we all know change is not easy.