Perhaps they would still be on the streets of Nyeri town begging for food or graduated to hardcore criminals.
But that is not the case for tens of Nyeri street children who were some years back hopeless. They were viewed as trouble makers and potential hardcore criminals.
They did everything within their means to eat, including borrowing and engaging in petty crimes.
Today, they have however turned from trouble makers to problem fixers, thanks to Joel Kariuki.
The street boys have become mechanics, disciplined boda boda riders, entertainers and farmhands.
Kariuki is a teacher at King’ong’o Primary School in Nyeri town. He uses his guidance and counseling skills to rehabilitate street children.
Benson Nderitu, 19, is one of them and whose work of fixing vehicles in the town is admired by many.
Nderitu, from Gatuya-ini village in Othaya, found himself in the streets in 2010 after his parents broke-up. He was neglected. He had attended school for just four years.
“I left with my mother and stayed with her until January, 2010, when we parted ways and I joined the street boys,” he said.
He is among the lucky few who have benefitted from Kariuki's intervention. He met the teacher in July 2019.
After counseling, Kariuki took Nderitu to a friend’s garage where he has been training as a mechanic through apprenticeship. He specialises in panel beating.
Ngari Ndung’u, popularly known as Were, owns Siate garage where Nderitu works. He described the teenager as hardworking and a fast learner.
“If you see his work, you would think he has been at it for the last three years,” Ndung’u said.
Robert Chong’e, a regular customer at the garage and who most of the time is attended to by Nderitu, praised the work of the former street boy.
“I have been bringing my vehicle here and most of the time I am attended to by Nderitu. He does a thorough and commendable job,” Chong'e said.
He said Nderitu was a good example that homeless children have valid dreams and can be rehabilitated to become useful people.
Nderitu’s dream is to start his own garage and mentor street children and those from needy backgrounds.
Kenneth Gitau, 24, an orphan, is another rehabilitated street boy. He found himself on the streets of Nyeri town in 2009 after escaping from Othaya Approved School.
Gitau has done 15 songs and has uploaded two on YouTube under his stage name DOC. Life on the streets and the negative effects of drugs and substance abuse are prevalent themes in his songs.
“My dream is to enter into the music industry and use it as a source of income," Gitau said.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic interrupted people's daily lives, Gitau would entertain guests in schools during functions. Kariuki made the arrangements.
Peter Ngatia, who had been on the streets for over six years, completed a driving course last year and joined the boda boda industry while Simon Maina, 29, works as a farmhand.
They say life in the streets was harsh. "We slept in the cold, at times had to persevere heavy rains, while getting a decent meal in a day was a tall order," Maina said.
They scavenged for anything palatable in garbage sites, borrowed money and at times never minded engaging in petty crimes for survival.
They also struggled with drugs like bhang or glue sniffing addiction.
“Today, I am able to work and earn some money to feed myself, buy clothes and sleep under a roof,” Nderitu said.
They advised their colleagues still in the streets that there is still hope in life and cautioned them not to turn down offers by good Samaritans interested in rehabilitating them.
Kariuki is currently rehabilitating more than 40 streets urchins.
He started by forming a football team three years ago which he uses to create rapport with them. It is after such games that he gets to know their interests in life and offers them counseling.
Through the sessions, they have been able to stop sniffing of glue and using drugs.
“I enquire why they ended up in the streets and what they would like to do in life,” Kariuki said.
Kariuki started rehabilitating the children after realising that the money he often gave them ended up in buying glue and bhang.
The teacher assists those above the age of 18 to get identity cards before moving to the next step that includes securing employment for them or ensuring they get life skills.
He has eight boys waiting to join various vocational training institutions after the coronavirus pandemic is contained.
The Nyeri county government estimates that there are about 200 children in the streets. Gender, Youth and Social Services executive Esther Ndung’u says about half of them spend their nights at home and arrive in the streets in the morning.
Edited by P.O