Heartbreak in Migori: 9-Year-Old Girl and Teen Brother Left to Raise Four Siblings After Parents Vanish
In a small village nestled in Suna West, Migori County, a story of pain, resilience, and childhood stolen too soon is unfolding.
Six siblings—abandoned by their mother and left behind by an ailing father—now depend entirely on a 15-year-old boy and his 9-year-old sister for survival. The youngest among them are two-year-old twins.
Childhood on Hold
Pascal Obedi, a teenager burdened by the responsibility of fatherhood, and his little sister Catherine Tabu, a Grade Three pupil, have been alternating school days just to ensure their younger siblings are fed and cared for. Their days are filled with chores, tears, and the kind of resilience only tragedy can nurture.
Catherine collects firewood, begs for food in nearby Masara town, and tends to the toddlers, often with no meal to offer. “When we don’t get food, I try to keep the babies asleep longer so they don’t cry too much from hunger,” she said through tears.
Pascal works at nearby gold mines during the day. On better days, he earns enough for a meal. On others, he washes dishes at town eateries for a few coins—when he’s lucky.
A Father’s Illness, A Mother’s Absence
Their father, Joseph Okello, suffering from chronic pneumonia and tuberculosis, left eight months ago seeking spiritual healing at the Legio Maria Church. He is bedridden and deeply remorseful.
“I didn’t leave because I didn’t care. I’m broken. I had nothing—not even for a painkiller. I couldn’t watch them suffer anymore,” Okello told Nairobian, fighting back tears.
Their mother had disappeared a year earlier, retreating to her maternal home and leaving the twins behind. She has not returned since.
Fading Futures, A Cry for Help
Despite the agony and uncertainty, Pascal and Catherine remain hopeful. “We just want to live like other kids. We want to go to school, be children again, and have a future,” Pascal said.
The children attend Masara Primary and Junior Secondary School, but their education hangs by a thread.
They’re calling on county leaders, the national government, and compassionate Kenyans to step in. They need food, clothes, school fees, and—above all—a lifeline.
In other news:US Opens Applications for Kenyan Youth Exchange Program Offering 3-Month Visas
Heartbreak in Migori: 9-Year-Old Girl and Teen Brother Left to Raise Four Siblings After Parents Vanish