Musa now speaks for the children of Meru County

Hunger and the streets

Musa’s story is one of hunger, hardship, courage, and hope. It also shows why Sodzo’s work matters so deeply.

Musa was born into a family that loved him deeply. Yet despite their commitment to him, the family struggled to meet their basic needs.

He’s from a family of nine, surrounded by hardships no child should have to carry. His father lives with a chronic illness that makes it difficult for him to work and provide consistently. His mother fights tirelessly to care for Musa and his six siblings, doing everything she can to keep her children safe, fed, and together.

But poverty presses in from every side. Their home is a small, unsafe structure that offers little comfort, privacy, or security. Food is never guaranteed.

Some days, there is very little to eat. And on top of the daily ache of hunger, the family has faced stigma and rejection from parts of their community, leaving them isolated and without the support every family needs to survive. Eventually, the weight became too much.

Hunger, poverty, rejection, and hopelessness pushed Musa into the streets. There, he was exposed to danger, neglect, and loneliness. Like so many street-connected children, he was forced to grow up far too quickly. School became a distant dream. Safety became uncertain. Survival became his daily priority.

But even then, Musa’s story was not over. In September 2024, Sodzo staff members met Musa. For the first time in a long time, there was a hand reaching toward him with help.

But years on the streets had taught him to be cautious. Trusting others had not kept him safe. Depending on people had often led to disappointment. And returning home meant facing the same hunger, poverty, and rejection that had driven him away in the first place.

Learning to trust again

When Musa first entered Sodzo’s care at our Watoto wa Ahadi Rescue Center (ARC), he was carrying far more than hunger. He carried fear, disappointment, and the pain of a child who had learned to survive without safety, stability, or trust.

For a child coming from the streets, healing does not happen in a single moment. True restoration takes time. Trust has to be rebuilt. Hope has to be nurtured. A child has to begin believing that his life can be more than the hardship he has known.

That is why Sodzo’s work does not stop with rescue. For Musa, restoration meant counseling, mentorship, rehabilitation, life skills sessions, educational support, and steady follow-up from Sodzo’s social workers. It meant caring adults helping him process what he had experienced and reminding him again and again that his life had value and his future still mattered.

At first, the hope was for Musa to return home. But reunification is not simple when a family is still facing deep poverty, food insecurity, inadequate housing, and social exclusion. These are the very pressures that pushed Musa toward the streets in the first place. So for now, Musa remains at the ARC, and the work continues.

Sodzo’s team is not only walking with Musa. They are also working with his family, helping identify the needs that must be addressed so home can one day become a safe and stable place for him to return. The goal is restoration, for Musa and for his family.

Slowly, things began to change. Musa started showing up with determination. He embraced discipline. He committed himself to school. Though he had missed years of education, he refused to let lost time define his future. He participated in life skills sessions, listened, learned, and began to imagine a life beyond survival.

Where he is today

Today, Musa is no longer defined by the streets. In Grade 8, his teachers describe him as disciplined, hardworking, and respectful. He shows up to school with focus. He listens. He participates. He carries himself with the quiet determination of a young person who knows what it cost to get here.

Musa’s growth reaches far beyond the classroom. He has become confident and focused, and a young leader. Recently, Musa was elected as one of the children’s representatives in the Meru County Children Assembly.

A boy who once lived on the streets, searching for food and safety, is now speaking up for other children in his county.

Musa’s journey is not over. His family continues to face the economic hardship, inadequate housing, food insecurity, and social exclusion that make it difficult for him to safely return home right now. Sodzo’s team is working to build the family’s financial capacity and stability so that reunification can become possible in the future.

This is the heart of Sodzo’s work. Social workers continue walking with children like Musa while also strengthening the families they hope to return to. They identify needs. They support education. They provide counsel and structure. They help families move toward stability so children have a better chance to remain safe, loved, and home.

Because of Sodzo’s work and your support, a boy who once had to fight to survive is now learning, leading, and using his voice for others.