What a Day

He used to live in Nairobi until his dad died and then he moved to Mombasa where his mum died. He was sent to live in Kisumu with his aunt until she decided that she couldn't afford him and he had to move out on to the streets.

He doesn't do drugs or glue and tells me passionately why he doesn't do them, he sometimes gets robbed if he can't get away from the big kids but luckily, so far, he hasn't been sexually abused. He doesn't have shoes and doesn't have any money at the end of each day so that there is less chance he gets robbed. He picks up plastic bottles (2 bottles gets him 1 shilling = 1.5 cents) and used charcoal to sell. He is smart.

He sat with me five days ago and we talked. He didn't ask me for anything, we just talked. The next day we talked some more and he went off to earn some money to get food. When he came back he offered me a piece of fruit from his bag....it had cost him 8 cents. I bought a piece (although he first turned down my business deal to buy it, preferring to share it) and we started to do business. Two days ago I sold him a chapati for 1 shilling but he only had 20 shilling and no change, so I told him that he could pay me when he next saw me....he turned up yesterday but I had gone and today he turned up holding my 1 shilling in his hand....he has honor.

Working with CaC are two men who run a street kids shelter. I talked to Tyson about it and he said that he wanted to visit if I would go with him...he's 11 and probably the most amazing kid I have ever met. The two guys are great and with the experience of working with me they have gone out their way to start the process for Tyson. We walked through the slums to get there...Tyson pointing out where he slept, where he hid and the places where he could buy cheap food. In the shelter we talked to a counselor and saw the medical facilities and workshops. We talked about informal and formal education, about trying to live again with his aunt and about whether he wanted to stay at the overnight facility (only 30 boys out of the 100 stay all night, the others sleep on the streets). All boys get breakfast and lunch, can't do drugs etc. Tyson was fascinated and kept saying that he wanted to stay. But when it was time for me to leave he couldn't look at me because he was crying......which also proved that my last EKG was wrong....I do have a heart because I felt it break!!

For some reason Tyson has touched me and got through my professional detachment that makes me able to do my work. He hasn't asked me for anything, he shares his food and drink, he talks,laughs and smiles. He leaves when I have to work and stays out of the way when the glue sniffers come around. He is incredibly intelligent (he hasn't been to school for years) and speaks great English. His story of his life is consistent too.

So tonight Tyson is staying in a shelter and is off the streets for the first time in 2 years. I've given the shelter $1 to buy him some sandals and told him that he has his choice...he can leave when he wants. I think that he is scared of being on the streets and scared tonight of not being on the streets. He and I are friends and I wonder what tomorrow will bring, will he stay, is this his chance to get off the very brutal streets, is the shelter as good as it looks, etc. Tomorrow, if he stays, he starts the process of medicals, interviews etc to see how best he can get off the streets and maybe go to school (I have the forms to pay for it....$200 a year for all school supplies including uniforms, books, lunch etc). - Written by Nick Gates

So What a Day

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