A young boy who was rescued by the Street Children’s Assistance for Nakuru Networks (SCAAN) at the age of eleven years graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBCHB) degree from Egerton University.
Interviewed by KNA, Dr. David Kanyingi said when his father passed away and their mother who was a housewife became sick, he and his siblings started roaming the streets of Nakuru town seeking something to eat since there wasn’t any food at home.
At first, he and his brother Njoroge were taken to Njoro Children’s home by force by the council askaris. But, life there became unbearable and they sneaked out and walked all the way to Nakuru town.
Luckily, for Kanyingi in 2007, a good Samaritan called Susan, requested him to join SCAAN after assuring him that he would be treated well and taken back to school. And sure enough, SCAAN turned out to be friendlier than the Njoro Children’s home where food was scarce and maltreatment was the order of the day.
The Chairman of the SCAAN home, Mr. Shamsher Gilani took him to Jamhuri Primary School and when he passed his KCPE he joined the famous Menengai High school where he sat for his Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education examination and scored a B-plus grade.
He was admitted to Egerton University for the MBChB course, which took him five years to complete and he will be joining the Kitale Level Five Hospital for his one-year internship program.
Dr. Kanyingi said he has no words worthy of adequately describing his gratitude to Mr. Gilani and the entire SCAAN community who have nurtured him from a lost, confused, scared, and hungry child from the streets and turned him into a medic without his family contributing even a single cent.
He said throughout his learning process, Mr. Gilani took a lot of interest in his studies and ensured that he had everything that he ever needed including adequate pocket money.
Additionally, he said, right from the moment he joined SCAAN, the stigma of being a poor street boy ceased because he was accorded good care, even far better than his school and college mates who lived with their parents.
“It was impossible for any of my classmates or college mates to accept that l was a former street boy, and l stopped belaboring the point because the usual tag of such children didn’t fit my appearance, demeanor or clothing,” he said.
He promised the SCAAN family and his mentor Mr. Gilanis that the best gratitude to them will be to forever remain part of his adopted home and mentor other children and once he starts working and earning he will always contribute 50 percent of his salary to charity.
Dr. Kanyingi said that his journey wasn’t a miracle but a humane human being in the name of Mr. Gilanis, who chose to hold his hand through the dire straits of life when nobody cared about his welfare and needs.
Mr. Gilanis said the philosophy of SCAAN was that every child matters and for them, it’s a home for children and they must feed on a balanced diet, play and go to school just like other children with capable parents.
He added, “SCAAN is where my many children stay and l am a proud father who will never let my progeny down.”
By Veronica Bosibori
