Bruce Omondi Odira is an MCF beneficiary currently in grade 8 at MCF Ndalani. Bruce was rescued from the streets of Nairobi following a road accident that had him admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital for 30 days. It was on his discharge from the Hospital on 23rd December 2008, that MCF came to his rescue.
He is the first born in a polygamous family of Six Children, born to Harrison Odhiambo and Jane Atieno, the second wife to Harrison. The father is a Primary School Teacher whereas his mother is a housewife.
Bruce was reported missing from his home area on 13th, July 2008 to an unknown destination. Prior to this incident, Bruce had escaped twice from his parents to his grand parents all of which he was traced and brought home. But on this particular day, Bruce was nowhere to be seen or found. The search through his relatives’ friends and acquaintances did not bear any fruit. The matter was reported to the police immediately as the father kept his hope alive of meeting the son.
Bruce said he had left home after differing with his parents who stayed in Migori town. He came to Nairobi on a bus which he boarded and sat on the bus passage at the rear. When asked by the bus conductor where his parents were sitting, he quickly and confidently pointed at a woman who was sitting further in front whom the conductor never bothered to follow up since little children are never asked to pay for their bus fare. He reached Nairobi in the morning and spent the whole day loitering in the streets. He later met a group of street children and joined them. Since then, Bruce lived in the streets sniffing glue, feeding from the garbage and joined other gangsters. In November 2008, he was knocked down by a vehicle and was seriously injured. He was assisted by one of his friends, who stopped a motorist to take him to Kenyatta National Hospital. He was drunk and under the influence of glue when he was hit by the vehicle. He stayed in the hospital for one month and was discharged in December, 2008 when he was rescued by Mully Children’s Family together with his friend, Dida, who had taken him to hospital.
In March 2011, the MCF programmes officer set out to trace his home and relatives by putting together little clues that Bruce had given the office on his admission, with which he used to trace the family area and status. The mother and the father were very excited to learn of their son’s well being. They were both elated and thanked God profusely for having kept their first born son alive and well. The father could not hold back his tears as he explained what he had to endure to learn that his boy was out of reach and nowhere to be seen. But on this occasion, he was just happy to hear both the news of his son wellbeing as well as see his picture of what a man has become of his first born son.
Bruce is a bright boy, former street Child who ran away from home on his own accord. The MCF Child Welfare team is yet to establish the reason for his escape. The family was not able to divulge any information that could have warranted the escape from the family. From the parents, Bruce was esteemed highly in the family which by local standards is a well off family; he began in Ombo Junior Academy (Boarding Primary School) just as his siblings are.
However, the father did confide that Bruce is a cheeky boy, with a tendency of telling lies. He was crafty, highly secretive and could rarely mix with friends freely.
Bruce Omondi, on his rescue, was enrolled in Standard 6 in 2009. He has progressed on well and is now in grade 8 in 2011. Bruce was also admitted into the MCF Karate Team, where he does represent MCF in various tournaments. He has so far won several awards for the team.
Bruce is a bright boy, who needs therapeutic care and psychosocial support as he continues to access care and support in MCF.