STUDENTS BY DAY, HAWKERS BY NIGHT: School children engage in hawking and business in Kisii

Picture this, a home so burdened with financial needs that the parents have no choice but to engage the children in income-generating activities at a very young age. At many schools across the country including at the Daraja Mbili Primary School in Kisii County, children as young as 6 years old are engaged in hawking and other businesses at the wee hours of the morning on market days and students by day. Citizen TV’s Brenda Mulinya has for weeks been following the sorry state of these students within schools in Kisii town and here is the report.

[@Irandabale]

I was a chokora,hawked mandazi and charcoal,on weekends to supplement what our Dad was earning. If that parent is given some job by the county government,I am sure he will change the family status. There are billions of CDF money released and one wonders where the money is!!

[@theebrasenja]

Look at how leaders explain themselves..hiyo nobody understands what makes them to hawk around....ooh we can't tolerate ooh chiefs will be responsible......empty heads....badala mtu aseme amekata mshahara wake angalau asaidie.... jameni. Heaven is for the few

[@dhuluufiklihassan537]

Someone to hook me up with the family....I can't offer alot but I want to purchase them some good beddings and atleast shopping to sustain them for one month.....am also ready to help the dad get a job but in Nairobi

[@catherinegithaiga7907]

So sad......never seen this before.....even in the villages......shame on their leaders......

[@abrahamtirorastogiceo8042]

Are leaders from tht jurisdiction aware of such needy cases? Starting from churches

[@picsandvidstv1348]

All the stories aside, why wouldn’t they allow the boy to sleep inside the house? They are poor enough to still hold on to some cultures! If he can’t sleep with the parents inside, let the parents sleep outside instead of kids! 😢Now back to this case, the government can provide food to students at school!

[@ArichawShow]

What a norm,WHERE is the area MCA???,,,,The NGCDF probably allocated in this area unfortunately end in people's pockets what a shame

[@rosemarymungai2415]

pengine hakusoma ndio maana hana aja na mambo kama hii na pia ako busy akifukusana na watu wa busaa, kind of leaders kenyans choose, pit latrine kid of.

[@johnonyango6069]

The irony of the story is all the government stakeholders who have spoken on the issue have not sympathized with the poverty stricken families all they've said is that they will jail those parents instead of dealing with the monster 👹 which is empowering those poor parents who are not beginning but working very hard with their children to make ends meet. Nkt buree kabisaa 🤣🤣🤣

[@lucymwai7645]

We will miss Professor George, Haki wooi Kenya yetu

[@joseckmogaka3926]

To take action is not the answer if parents are not able what do we expect ?. The government has to work hard to improve the situation . So we have people who are stealing from the county while kids and families are suffering . The elderly money is taken while the rich are enjoying the Money . Where are we heading to ? A country which is fair has to change and work differently .

[@Divambi]

The state of that school has left me in shock. How are kids expected to learn while standing? Kwani desks za mbao ni pesa ngapi yawa?

[@kelvinecheloti6881]

Desk za korona countrywide hazikuwafikia surely

[@alextercisio]

​@@kelvinecheloti6881 hakuna desk za corona it was a scam

[@marktoy6725]

Aki thenx our mp ndindi Nyoro our puplic school are like academy.

[@terrylangat9448]

Let County use CDF to give those children desks.

[@valenakomba9218]

Not only that Mr. Education officer, look how are they writing while standing. Is that normal?. You leaders you put all the money in your pockets, ,and other people are suffering. May God punish you all.

[@sylviaecke1772]

kabsa

[@naomymose1866]

Head teacher even desks mmmh

[@vivy3152]

Yani hadi simple things like desks, this students don't have. Shame on the Government's, shame on the county Government.

[@OnePlusMedia]

This teacher who is saying "the government is supporting" who are you trying to fool??

[@alextercisio]

Shame on that county government ...why those kids don't have desks using their palm hands to support books nkt

[@queenodhiambo5720]

Are you aware education wasn't devolved, its still under national Government.

[@kelvinecheloti6881]

Bismillahi God help us

[@trizaharujaru8551]

😭😭oh God help these kids

[@rosemarymungai2415]

Hope huku si kenya coz am dead shocked na bado wanagoja laptop🥵🥵🥵

[@fatumaramadhani4159]

I remember way back there were school inspectors and their sole purpose was going to public schools and inspecting learning condition of studends

[@marriepence9887]

Where is the education CS Machogu......Alot of schools are crowded and no food for the students in schools..... Is this delivering? From office and not from ground...... Really?

[@John-qr4kf]

Go fund me can start the parents a small business.

[@jackymuhonja1970]

Why don't there parents do that business

[@Wakimbo-Ent]

They are doing it elsewhere.....me nliwa naifanya weekends atleast to help my mum ,c kutaka mtu yangu

[@mikamolly5699]

I used to help my mother. I could sell a quatre of all njugus while she was also selling the rest so that she finishes early and go home together

[@mmmarselannnamai4798]

Maisha imekua ngumu Sana kila mahali, na kuzaa pia ingekua uwezo wa wazazi jameni

[@naff6302]

But they know how to have children 🙄 😏

[@marieheiss6560]

@ Naff, that's the biggest problem, watu wapunguze kuzaazaa watoto ambao hawawezani nao, wanazaa watoto kupitisha watatu kuendelea ... baadaye wanakuja kwenye mitandao kulia lia imeshindikana eti hawana chochote wasaidiwe ," kwani wakati wakijamiana kuendelea kujaza watoto si wao huwanga wenyewe kwa wenyewe", mtu ukiona kweli kabisa situation ambayo mtu waishi mbona uwendelee kujaza vitoto kwa nyumba watu wanafaa kujifunza, naelewa hawa matajiri they never dare to help such pple , mimi ni kaulizwa watoto wawili wametosha kulingana na vile maisha ya kisasa ipo.

[@naff6302]

@Marie Heiss that's it....ebu angalia matajiri wakipata watoto wengi ni wawili and they are rich

[@marieheiss6560]

@@naff6302 yes, very true mtu ukachunguza matajiri sana sana wana watoto wawili na ndio maana ni very rich halafu wao huwapa watoto wao maarifa nzuri ndiposa utawaona watoto wa matajiri wamesoma wanatoza high class jobs wanaishi kwenye mazingira bora kabisa, sababu ni walitimiza ile advice ya wazaziye toka utotoni, ... kujaza watoto wengi kwa nyumba it's a Horror!, huleta umaskini maanake the whole of your life pesa ukapata zinaishia tu kwa watoto of which bado hizo pesa haziwatosheleshi, hata mtu hauwezi kuishi kwenye mazingira bora ama hata kuji Invest, mfano kunuwa a piece of land ujenge nyumba inayo faa, na ndio kwa maana kuna cases nyingi huwa zinatokea mama apatikana kajiuuwa na some of her kids ama na watoto wake baba hajulikani aliko, ....vile vile mtu ukiangalia hawa watoto ambao wamezaliwa wengi utapata watoto wa kike wakifikisha kubalehe kwanzia umri wa miaka 16 kuelekea... utawapata nao pia wana mtoto/watoto of which hawana muelekeo sababu ni waliuiga ule mfano kutokana kwa wazaziye(kuzazaa), yaani wazaziye hawananga hata ile second thought kuwapa watoto maarifa inayo faa tu ni kujamiana na kuzidisha watoto, as mama yuandelea kuzaa wasichana wake vile vile not forgetting still living in the same house it's a big shame, mwishowe hao watoto wa kike hutoroka na kuwaachia wazaziye mtoto/watoto ambao walizaa, huwanga somehow strange "watu wa aina hii huwa hawawapi watoto wao maarifa nzuri mfano waepukane na mambo ambayo hayafai ili wawe na a good future nao watoto vile vile hawawapi wazaziye maarifa wakomeshe kuzazaa"...two in one, jamani watu waache kuzaazaa watoto wengi ovyo wakitarajia ati watapata kusaidiwa litakuwa jambo nzuri na la maana watu wakiuiga mfano wa matajiri kutoza watoto wengi ili kuepuka mambo kadha wa kadha haswa umasikini majumbani. (Iam sorry message too long)

[@ADB-97]

No minor is supposed to go through this I did my schooling in cardinal otunga and I know daraja2 very well. Family planning is important too , why 7 children! While economic resources are limited Children writing on there knees!! Wtf

[@abrahamtirorastogiceo8042]

Sending the children away, is a short term solution. You ought to come up with practical/ concrete plan to sort out the problem ones and for all.

[@alicekiloko-4972]

Surly government ruto plz 🙏 😢

[@nissispuppies5990]

Society has failed them. Before you stop them from hawking, please help to stabilise the parents.

[@justinebosire9804]

Onyonka place .

[@jakee2041]

Kwani Simba Arati hii case vipi??? No desks in classes?? Soo shameful this was during the colonial time!!!

[@t.kinaga5285]

Usekkenya kekenya

[@OrientKasha]

Child labour is just a hocks

[@rosemathayo5440]

Simba what’s your work

[@Travelwithfred]

Simba is a new governor ask the former governor 🙄

[@alextercisio]

​@@Travelwithfred so since election 6months he don't know ???

[@rosemathayo5440]

Waaaa😢

[@daveparko3519]

Child labor is criminal and should not be allowed in Kenya or anywhere else. The parents of these children so should be arrested and jailed. Am really shocked to see children sitting on the floor of a classroom. Is this Kenya in 2023???? Honestly!!!! And money is being rooted left and right while children of the poor are suffering so much. Pathetic. Unbelievable.

[@paulnyakxx]

Where's the logic in arresting parents of their poverty? Will arresting the parents make the children live better?

[@daveparko3519]

@@paulnyakxx Your argument and comment makes no sense. If you do not know and actually it sounds like you do not know, child labor anywhere in the world is criminal and ignorance is no defense. Parents are supposed to provide for children under the age of 14yrs. You cannot have any child under age 14 yrs work and get paid. Period. I would advise you to look in our constitution under labor laws to full understand these laws that prohibit children under age 14 working and get paid. So do not use poverty as a disguise to exploiting children. Listen to the clip again.

[@paulnyakxx]

@@daveparko3519 is it a crime to be poor?

[@estheranneclea4064]

Simba harati hana shinda uchumi jamani, watu wanateseka sana.

[@haronchumba2019]

🤔🤔🤔🤔🙄

[@ndukujosephs5345]

Simba Arati Yuko wapi 😂😂

[@naomymose1866]

Teacher are a like the pupils, even them is like they have given up. No dests, cdf money uchungu we kwa hiyo shule