The past few weeks Katie has been given the task of filling out background files of the children. She has gone through every child's folder, read their story, and has minimized it on a piece of paper which will be sent out to various people asking for financial support of the child. We both have worked on this assignment together and have read some amazing stories. It is a shame but as we got around number 100, each story seemed to be the same as the last, and at times the reality of the child's story has worn off a bit because it feels you have already read that story. When we would stop and talk about it, we then realize each one of these stories is heart breaking, tougher than anything any child in America (that we know of) has gone through, and is the reason why the child is here.
Each child associated with Bosco Boys is a "Street Kid". They have survived on the street by themselves and this qualifies them to attend school here. We have had discussions with Fr. Sebastian here about how there are so many street children in Nairobi who need help. He agrees but then assures us there's no way our school could board 3 million children. So they have to put specifications as to what qualifies one child to be here and why another can't.
We have learned there are four different "levels" of street children. The first is a child who spends his days on the street but goes back to his home where he can be fully taken care of. The second level is children who spend their days on the street but go home occasionally some nights where they have nothing but a roof. The third level is children who spend their days and nights on the street, who have a home to go to, but decide not to go there. The fourth level is children who solely live on the street, have no home, and their well being relies only on themselves.
Bosco Boys is a school which has children from all four levels. Most of the children though are from level 2 and 3. Most of the children are orphans, some total orphans, and the home they do know of is the home of their grandmother. Most children do have a roof to go to with their grandmother but due to her lack of education, age, and low income where she can not provide basic necessities. The children then run off to the street, most collect scrap metal to sell so they can buy food or drugs (glue or marijuana).
Each child has had a different path to Bosco Boys but they are somewhat similar. Most have had a parent (or both) die, many due to AIDS. During this time the family becomes unstable and all the children can resort to is providing for themselves because no one else will. Many move in with an aunt or grandmother but the aunt's usually have their own families so they get lost in the crowd, or the grandmother is too old to provide basic necessities/guidance. Many of the boys are under 10 years old and at that point have lived on the streets by themselves for over 2 years.
Many of the boys had a "good Samaritan" find them and bring them here. The child then is brought to a Salesian center called "Langatta" (which is down the road) and the child goes through a rehabilitation program there. If the child shows good manners, does well with his chores, studies hard, and chooses to be there then he is sent to Bosco Boys (our school). The child then must follow the rules, schedule, and lifestyle here. During their time at Bosco Boys many do well, go to high school, and become successful. But like schools anywhere, there are knuckleheads who are stubborn, don't do well, and eventually find themselves doing drugs again and living on the streets.
There are a few boys here who are total orphans and have no family whatsoever. There is a boy who came to Bosco Boys around 16 years ago, named Patrick Ogolla. Patrick has a learning disability and has no recollection of his family before he came here. He was around 9 years old when he came here and had lived on the streets by himself for almost 2 years. Since he has trouble with schooling, he was not able to attend high school but instead was given his own room here, works on the shamba (farm), and to this day is still a part of the community here.
He is a very nice man, very quiet, does his business daily, and we have never seen him complain about his life. Ogolla lives in a small shack, about 8' by 15', which is connected to the pig farm. He daily does his work on the farm, collects scrap pieces of food to make the chum (pig food), and enjoys his life. Ogolla still attends class 5 at Bosco Boys during the morning and then does his work in the shamba during the afternoon.
Every night there is a "good night" talk by one of the priests, teachers, or volunteers. the talk is just a recap of the day, a lesson that needs to be taught, or a story for the children to learn from. Last night Fr. Sebastian was telling us of how Patrick Ogolla's brother came to the school yesterday. Ogolla did not know he had a brother but apparently they have been looking for him all this time. Ogolla has no recollection of what happened to his family, if he had one, and why he was on the streets in the first place. Apparently his father is old now and very sick. He has sent Ogolla's brother to find him and they finally did.
It truly is a touching story. We were talking about it last night with a Brother here and he told us a story of a conversation between him and Ogolla. Ogolla in the past has said, "I'll be so happy the day I find my mom and dad." To think all these years he has had no idea of who they were but at the same time they had been searching for him as well. We have no idea how they found him here but they did. Ogolla is now with his family and last night may have been one of the only nights he has ever spent outside of Bosco Boys.
