Nairobi County Chief Officer for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service, Geoffrey Mosiria, opened up about the emotional struggle of rescuing a street child named Mike, whose repeated returns to life on the streets of Nairobi have left him and his team heartbroken.

Taking to his official X account in the wee hours of Thursday, December 18, 2025, Mosiria recounted the moment he first found Mike, a young boy, barefoot, hungry, confused, and sniffing jet fuel on the streets.

Despite the child’s difficult circumstances, Mosiria saw his potential and dreams hidden beneath years of hardship.

“NI UCHUNGU SANA, WHERE IS MIKE? Do you remember Mike, the child I rescued from the streets? There are moments in life that touch your heart so deeply, you can never look at the world the same way again. This is the story of Mike – a young boy I found on the streets of Nairobi, barefoot, hungry, silent with confusion and sniffing jet fuel,” Mosiria’s statement read in part.

“Mike was a street child, a bright boy with dreams hidden beneath years of hardship. I rescued him from the streets and brought him to a children’s rehabilitation home, where hope began to shine again. Teachers saw his potential. They saw a child who wanted to learn, to belong, to be normal.”

After rescuing Mike, Mosiria says he placed him in a children’s rehabilitation home and later enrolled him in a boarding school, where he performed well academically. Over two terms, Mosiria says he invested over Ksh150,000 in school fees and extracurricular activities, believing every child deserves a chance to dream.

Grandmother’s neglect

However, each time school was closed, Mike returned to the streets. His grandmother, who should have protected him, was sending him and his younger sister to beg so she could collect money for herself.

“With joy, I enrolled him in a boarding school where he performed well, and the teachers were proud of him. For two terms, I paid his fees of Ksh 50,000 per term plus extracurricular costs, which was around 10k because every child deserves a chance to dream. I had invested in him over 150k for two terms,” Mosiria stated.

“But when schools closed, Mike ran back to the streets… and that’s when the truth came out:
His own grandmother a woman who should have protected him was sending him and his little sister to beg in the streets of Thika so she could collect money for herself. Mike, a child without parents and without guidance, did not know right from wrong.”

Govt-approved children’s rehabilitation centre

Mosiria emphasised that temporary interventions were not enough and announced plans to place Mike in a government-approved children’s rehabilitation centre to ensure long-term care, education, counselling, and stability.

“We rescued him again and brought him back to the rehabilitation home, hoping stability would help him heal. But the pain and confusion were still in him. When a well-meaning attempt to move him to a different home was made, he ran to the streets once more. A video of him circulated, showing him alone again where he did not belong,” he stated.

“I searched. I asked friends. I never gave up. Eventually, we found him wandering once again, and I brought him back. Every time I see Mike’s eyes, I see both hope and pain. He is a child who needs more than rescue; he needs consistent care, therapy, guidance, structure, and a safe environment where running back to the streets is not an option.”

“That is why I am now pursuing placement in an approved government children’s rehabilitation centre, where he can receive long-term care, education, counselling, and structure to secure a real future.”