Valentine with a difference for street community

Friday was a Valentine’s Day with a difference for a street community at Githurai 45 on the outskirts of Nairobi with no flowers in the scene.

The community, ranging in age between 10 and 22, had lots of food and drinks instead capped up with new clothes and shoes to replace their worn out, greasy outfits courtesy of Save Street Children Welfare contrived by the reigning Miss Kenyatta University Wendy Makena Murithi, a third year environmental studies student.

Bedecked in a sash stencilled with the words Miss KU 2013 and looking more beautiful than flowers normally associated with Valentine’s Day, Ms Murithi was flanked by her runner up Miss Joan Musumba, KU’s reigning Miss disability Jackline Kimani, reigning Mr disability Edwin Munene and his runner up Cyrus Munywoki. Also present was former Miss Nairobi University Bernice Mugambi.

It was all fun and pleasure at the Githurai DO’s office grounds as the street community who numbered about 30 fitted new clothes amid munching, laughter and sips of assorted beverages.

Ms Murithi said Kenyatta University students donated the fit wear comprising shirts, jackets and shoes while beverages came from Pambazuka Entertainment limited.

The House of Manji donated biscuits and Daniel Juma Omondi, Executive Director of Global, Peace Foundation; Kenya did all the brandings for the occasion.

Besides the carousing and gloating on new clothes, the street community seized the opportunity to appeal to the Government that was represented by Administration Police Inspector at Githurai DO’s office Galm Korma to issue them with identity cards to avoid unnecessary harassment by police officers on patrol.

They opened up as to reasons for being in the streets, many of them citing adverse conditions at home. Many younger ones expressed the wish to go back to school if sponsored to continue with their studies.

35 year old Mr David Nderitu, a former street boy turned businessman in Githurai narrated how he had used his resources in a bid tor rehabilitate debauched boys and girls by organising them into groups. Nderitu owns a motorcycle boda boda.

He said his efforts to engage street communities in activities such as tree planting through registered groups were frustrated by the fact that a majority of them had no national identity cards to prove that they were Kenyans.

Ms Murithi said her fledgling Save Street Children Welfare had among its objectives, shopping for donors to chip in with school fees for those willing to return to the classroom.

“We urge Kenyans of good will to come forward and adopt children from the streets who have shown signs of good conduct, particularly the orphaned ones,” she said.

She promised to continue with her crusade for street children even after her one-year reign expires in November.

Mr Juma advised parents and school administrations to desist from practices that drive children in their formative years into the streets.

He cited a case whereby a 12-year-old boy in the group said he abandoned school after teachers forced him to repeat.

Another boy said he ran away from home to protest the habit by his single mother of bringing different strange men into the house.