All over the world, street kids are often looked down on and ignored by society owing to their living conditions and the challenges they face.
However, some street kids have risen against all odds to shine a light while pursuing various careers worldwide. The script is the same for Victor Khamisi, a former street boy in Nairobi who has won accolades for his matatu counselling sessions.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke on Tuesday, April 18, the father of two revealed that he lost his parents at 12 and was later taken in by his relative.
However, things did not go his way after he was sexually molested and he opted to move to the streets because of the childhood trauma. While in the streets, he rejoined school by doing odd jobs.
"I ran away and became a street boy for five years, even battling depression. I schooled myself by doing odd jobs like washing clothes, and being a houseboy and often got help from well-wishers.
"Right now I do counselling and I help street families each Saturday outside the Nation Centre and I have schooled some of them too," he stated.
Khamisi - who lost his wife to Leukaemia - added that he occasionally got help from other well-wishers who partnered with him in helping the street kids.
After completing his schooling, he indicated that he started working with corporate companies dealing in telecommunication and motor vehicles.
Khamisi resigned from a motor vehicle company in the city to focus on his career as a counsellor before opening his office in Kitusuru.
Regarding his matatu counselling sessions, the trained Nairobi Women's Hospital counsellor divulged that he was motivated to impact society and create a caring culture among commuters.
He noted that Kenyans occasionally concentrated on their phones when travelling rather than engaging with the other commuters seated next to them.
"It is a daily thing that I do from 5 to 7 pm. I choose the routes I want and I do it for three minutes. For example, if I choose CBD - the Kikuyu route, I will alight at Westlands and take another matatu heading to the same place," he asserted.
He explained that the timing allows him to reach several people daily.
When queried about Kenyans' reception of his initiative, he noted that many were receptive, including matatu operators who occasionally engaged him in various programmes.
During his counselling, he also focuses on men who rarely talked about their challenges owing to how many have been socialised.
