A section of Kenyans raised funds to assist Simon Nyakundi, a University of Nairobi (UoN) drop out, make his ends meet.
Nyakundi, in an interview with a local media house, stated that he joined UoN to pursue an engineering course but struggled to pay school fees after his polygamous father passed away.
He alleged that he fell out with his stepmother who was hell-bent on frustrating him. The then second-year student deferred and resorted to menial jobs as source of income.
Kenyans, through a good samaritan, Shinaali Goodwin Lloyd, raised funds for the father of two. Nyakundi had asked well-wishers to assist him purchase a hand cart (mkokoteni).
“I want to say a very big thank you to Kenyans at large for your generous contributions and donations - the funds were contributed towards helping Simon Nyakundi purchase a luggage trolley at Ksh6,500 instead of the market price which is Ksh7,500.
“The remaining part is helping Simon to apply for replacement of his lost identity card, purchasing a good phone and registering a new mobile number so that friends, family and well-wishers who would wish to reach him and extend any help can contact him directly,” Shinaali stated.
He added that he further paid Ksh2,000 for Nyakundi with Ksh1,200 as trolley Sacco fee and Ksh800 as security of the cart.
“These are one-off fees paid to ensure every trolley member is known and enable a customer’s complaint to be addressed.
“We hope in the near future Simon will be able to manage a fleet of trolleys and rent them to generate income to support his family and his goals in life.”
Nyakundi will operate along River Road that is popular with long-distance buses.
Speaking in an interview in May 2022, Nyakundi, an Upper Hill School alumnus stated that he was kicked out of a rental house in Nairobi after he failed to raise rent and resorted to living in the streets.
“While living in the streets, I met my wife at rehab in Ngara Maisha House, and we sired our first child in the street,” he recalled.
Nyakundi currently resides in Majengo slum near Gikomba with his wife and two children, a four-year-old and three months baby.
Kenyans are still reaching out to Nyakundi with some rallying each other to raise school fees and enable him to complete his degree course.
