Lost Generation: The Struggle of Street Boys in Busia’s Border Town
“My mother left for Uganda with my siblings to find my father” says 10 year old Shadrack Otieno, a street child in Busia town.
Street children detained during a cleanup operation in Busia town. (Photo by Victoria Magar)
By Victoria Magar
Busia, a bustling town straddling the Kenya-Uganda border, is home to a growing number of boys who live on the streets. As one walks through the town’s crowded avenues, the faces of young boys, marked by hardship and vulnerability, are hard to ignore. These boys, many as young as seven, endure nights spent on cold, makeshift bedding of cardboard, and when they fail to secure menial jobs or assistance from well-wishers, they go to bed hungry.
Their stories reveal the deep-rooted challenges faced by the boy child in Busia, highlighting family breakdowns, societal neglect, and the systemic issues that drive them to street life.
A Glimpse into Their Stories
Shadin Ali, a 13-year-old from Uganda, explains how he ended up in Busia after his mother abandoned him and his siblings with their grandmother.
“I lived with my grandmother, but she couldn’t provide for us after my mother disappeared. I’ve never seen my father,” says Shadin. He now survives on odd jobs in Busia and sends money home to his grandmother and sister when possible.
Similarly, 11-year-old Ben Ologee fled an abusive home after his father remarried following his mother’s death. “My stepmother made me work all day, gave me only one meal, and beat me often. I had no choice but to run away,” Ologee recounts.
For 10-year-old Shadrack Otieno from Kenya, abandonment led him to the streets. “My mother left for Uganda with my siblings to find my father. I haven’t heard from her since,” he shares.
For many boys, the streets symbolize freedom, but also expose them to harsh realities: hunger, violence, and exploitation. Some families send boys out to hawk goods or use them to traffic drugs and contraband.
Challenges in Addressing the Crisis
Patrick Mkolwe, an officer in Busia’s Department of Children Protection, notes the town’s ongoing struggle to remove boys from the streets. “We’ve conducted three mop-up operations since last year, and about 80% of these children are from Uganda,” he explains. In the most recent operation, 36 children were rescued, 12 of whom were Kenyan boys.
Mkolwe adds that Busia has more than 100 street children, according to a survey from 2018-2019, with only a handful of girls. “The harshness of street life tends to deter girls, but boys, who are more likely to take risks, endure physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and develop resilience,” Mkolwe says.
Mkolwe cites poverty, broken families, and societal expectations as factors pushing boys to the streets. The perception that boys must be providers and protectors often leads to neglect, with little regard for their emotional and physical well-being.
The Struggle to Reintegration
While some boys come to the streets out of necessity, others find street life offers a sense of independence. However, this independence often leads to delinquency, drug use, and trafficking. Mkolwe notes that attempts to reintegrate boys into their families often fail.
“These boys are used to the street life and managing themselves. The influence of drugs and crime makes it hard for them to reintegrate,” he explains.
The lack of a clear-cut guideline between the county and national governments regarding who is responsible for rehabilitating street families further complicates efforts. “We need a dedicated rehabilitation center where these boys can undergo behavior change before returning to their families,” says Mkolwe.
Community Concerns
Busia’s community leaders point to practices such as “disco matangas”—all-night funeral dances that lure boys into risky behavior—as contributing to the problem. “Boys attend these events and are introduced to drugs or recruited into criminal networks,” explains Celestine Wesonga, a community leader.
However, Wesonga emphasizes that the root issue is not the discos themselves but rather the lack of opportunities and family support. “These boys don’t have proper education or guidance. That’s why they end up on the streets,” she adds.
The strategic location of Busia as a border town further complicates matters. Many street boys are drawn into the informal cross-border trade, often helping smuggle goods or acting as “porters” for contraband. This involvement places them at odds with the law, with some even being recruited into crime syndicates.
Busia County Commander Ahmed Abdille confirms this. “Street boys are often used in drug trafficking and petty crimes. They’ve become a threat to the town’s security,” Abdille says.
Lack of Resources and Support
Parents like Martha Nabwire express frustration and helplessness. “We are losing an entire generation of boys,” laments Nabwire, whose son lives on the streets.
NGOs such as Shelter of United Love have been working with Busia’s children’s department to rehabilitate street children, but resources remain limited. “We need more support from the county government. There are funds allocated for this, but we’ve yet to see them,” says Duncan Oduor, a field officer for the NGO.
Community leaders and experts are calling for holistic solutions, including family support systems, education opportunities, and a crackdown on exploitative practices like cross-border trafficking and disco matangas.
As night falls in Busia, the sight of boys wandering the streets serves as a stark reminder of a neglected generation. Without meaningful intervention, Busia and other towns like it risk raising a generation of boys with no direction, guidance, or hope for the future.
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