Where Will He Go, Little Gift

During my usual walk, I encountered a young boy named Gift, around 8 years old, scavenging for bottles on the streets to sell in hopes of buying a meal. His eyes, full of pain, spoke louder than any words could. As he shared his heartbreaking story, I couldn’t hold back my tears.

“After school, I came home and my mom was gone. I was told she had run away. Later, my dad said she left with her things, and I was left behind. That night, my stepmother refused to feed me, and the next morning, she gave me old clothes and told me to find my mother. My dad said I should follow her, but I never saw her again. I don’t know where she went, and I don’t know where my dad is either. I just stay by the veranda, and sometimes I sleep at the kiosk, guarding it in exchange for food. But it’s never enough. I collect bottles to sell, just to get a little money to buy something to eat. Some days, I don’t eat at all.”

Gift’s mother, a second wife, disappeared under mysterious circumstances after an argument with her husband. The stepmother accused her of stealing, and since then, Gift has been abandoned. His stepmother refused to care for him, and his father, who should have protected him, cast him out.

Now, homeless and alone, Gift sleeps wherever he can, often on the cold, hard ground beside a small kiosk. He survives by collecting bottles to sell for a few shillings, hoping to find enough to buy a meal. His clothes are worn and torn, a stark testament to the hardship this little boy endures daily. His world is a place of heartbreak, betrayal, and loss — things no child should ever face.

As we walk this journey together, I am committed to finding any family member who might help or a safe place where Gift can receive the care and love he desperately needs. No child should ever have to live like this.