THE INTERNATIONAL CHILDCARE TRUST - KENYA
STREET LIVES
December 2000 - page 2
Another Lonely Night
Last night it rained. A great relief for all the local farmers who have been watching their maize wither and die in the exceptionally long drought. For the street children of Kitale rain only compounds their problems:
Peter Simiyu (15 yrs.) came to the ICT-K office at 7.30 this morning. Blood was running down the side of his face and he was limping. The previous evening and much to his surprise he had managed to find a dry corner in which to sleep on the porch of one of the larger Asian shops in the nice part of town. With rain comes the problem of where to sleep as many of the kids usual haunts are unsheltered.
His luck was short lived though; around 3.00 am he was rudely awakened by blows from a whip. The 'askaris' (security guards) unhappy with his choice of sleeping place beat him and continued to beat him as he, startled from sleep, tried to get to his feet and escape. ICT treated his wounds; mostly welts and a cut on his head. His physical wounds, though not serious, illustrate the contempt children face daily on the streets, also one must consider what are the psychological effects of such assaults. Warmed and calmed he returned to the streets to begin another day. Who knows what tonight will bring? |
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Peter showing his wounds
(Peter Simiyu is not his real name, it, and others in this newsletter, have been changed to protect peoples privacy) |
ICT-K has been experimenting with different ways of reducing the numbers of street children in Kitale. Although many come from very harsh conditions in Turkana and other semi-desert areas after a few months in Kitale the lure of the town wears off. This is the point at which some of the children can be sent back to their homes. It is also the point at which those who stay become ‘hard core’.
ICT-K has sponsored 12 children back to Turkana of whom 3 have reappeared in Kitale. Contact is maintained through the ‘grape vine’ that exists between Kipsongo and Turkana.
The ‘Daily Nation’ newspaper estimates a street child’s life expectancy to be 16 years.
Focus on a Child
Mohammed is about ten years old and has been with ICT for the last 3 months. He comes from a slum area of Kitale known as Tuwani where his mother, father and younger brother live. What drove Mohammed to the streets is not clear but it was becoming very clear that he would not live long if he continued his street life.
Mohammed had been sniffing glue for the three or so years he was on the streets before ICT took him in. In his time he became uncontrollable and completely addicted to the glue. Renowned for crying and screaming and removing all his clothes if his glue was taken away from him. About a year ago while he was sleeping off the excesses of glue some of the other children set him on fire. He escaped with minor burns but unfortunately none the wiser. ICT stepped in after Mohammed was run over by a lorry while he was ‘out of it’ sleeping with his legs on the road. He was admitted to Kitale District Hospital where he remained for one month and still returns there for dressing of his crushed foot.
The fact he was admitted to hospital forced him off the glue and gave ICT an ideal chance to intervene while he was coherent enough to take decisions about his future.
Mohammed is now in remedial classes at LVCP and will join Liyavo Primary School in January 2001. In the meantime he has only made one attempt, very early on from the hospital, to get glue. He will be spending December with his family who have moved from the slum to another settlement nearer Liyavo.
Mohammed before...
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...and now
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15 Year Old Re-united with Family
I was approached by the gang of kids who normally hang out by the 'Trans Mattress' supermarket in Kitale. 'Magonjua', they told me. 'Someone is very ill'. In a corner, hugging himself and shaking there was a new boy who was obviously in a bad way. We took him for consultation at a local doctors and after x-rays he was admitted to hospital with suspected TB. For the street kids they are most vulnerable when they are sick as it reduces their ability to work, scavenge and beg, being a new kid in town would have added to his problems as he would be left low down in pecking order with no peer support.
As we got to know Ngasike better he told us that he had been on the streets in Eldoret, a nearby town, and had come to Kitale only a few days earlier. Originally from a suburb of Nairobi he claims he was chased from his home by his mother for stealing and had been on the streets for several months now. He was now ready to go home. The trouble was he did not know his address, nor anyone with a telephone nor his mother’s full name.
After a month in hospital Ngasike was discharged and taken back to Nairobi by the ICT-K Social Worker. They searched in vain for his home even the name of the area he originated from turned out to be incorrect. After a frustrating day of visiting schools, police stations and chiefs offices they gave up and were boarding a bus back to central Nairobi when Ngasike called out “my sister, look”. The poor young lady was at first shocked and then relieved to see her youngest brother alive and well. After ensuring that indeed the young lady was his sister and a few other minor formalities Ngasike was officially handed back to his family with the local chief as witness.
Solar Power:
Two solar panels connected to 2 heavy duty batteries are now supplying light to all the LVCP dormitories, study/recreation areas and office. The TV is also connected with the diesel generator, used primarily for pumping water, helping top up the batteries while pumping.