Every Monday and Friday, a boda boda operator arrives at the Globe Cinema Roundabout to ululations and cheers from the street families who call the place home.
John Ndichu Wambui, 31, is not a politician or populist and does not harbour political ambitions.
Nor is he an ordinary boda boda rider. He has been religiously feeding those families twice a week for three years.
He doesn’t stop there. He also pays school fees for four high school students, has reunited 45 street children with their families, pays rent for six young mothers and has opened small businesses for three reformed street boys.
Wambui is an orphan who has dedicated his life to putting smiles on the faces of destitute families through social media fundraising.
Known as Kahii Ga Cucu (a son of his grandmother) on TikTok where he commands about 365,000 followers, Ndichu has earned the trust and enthusiastic support of his fans.
Their faith in him and his causes have enabled him to raise Sh10,000 to provide the two meal days per week.
“I became an orphan at a very tender age. My grandmother could barely afford basic needs. My tough upbringing motivates me to help others. It satisfies my soul,” Wambui said.
The philanthropist who does boda boda business in Kikuyu-Zambezi-Nderi area in Kiambu County is a darling of social media.
He conducts live sessions to account for donations received and to mobilise more resources.
“Honesty is key. I account for every coin received from my online supporters,” Wambui said.
That is how I have managed to remain relevant for the past three years. Online feedback is quick and a slight blunder can permanently erode the trust.”
He is grateful for the growth of social media in Kenya, saying he faced many obstacles in starting up as he depended only on savings from his boda boda business.
The latest government data shows Kenya has more than 15 million social media users, about 26.5 per cent of the total population.
It ranks TikTok as one of Kenya’s most popular social media platforms.
According to official Byte Dance numbers, about 10.6 million Kenyans aged 18 and older are using the Chinese-owned platform.
Live streaming around the clock has been popular in Asia and the US for quite a while.
TitTok’s algorithm and live features push more niche streamers in front of more eyeballs and do not only favour celebrities and influencers.
Although he joined TikTok late, Wambui has mastered the art of fundraising on the platform where contributors offer liquid cash or send gifts that can be converted into cash.
TikTok gifts are virtual tokens that viewers purchase as they watch live streams and scroll through posts. Users buy them with TikTok coins, which are part of the app’s thriving virtual currency system.
The price of one TikTok coin is equal to $1.4 cents (approximately Sh14 ).
When viewers send gifts, they not only personally thank their favourite creators but also contribute to their hero’s success on the platform.
Once received, gifts convert into diamonds, which are displayed for users to see on creator profiles.
These diamonds have real monetary value and can be withdrawn as cash. Wambui’s effort to uplift the lives of the less privileged and break the stereotype of boda boda operators has won him a nomination by the online community as the Star Newspaper’s Person of the Year.
It is
a prestigious recognition of individuals who have had a positive impact
on their communities or the nation
