Andrew Nyawiri was only 13 years old when his life changed in a way he never imagined. The 23-year-old, who was born in the United States, says he was abandoned at Nairobi’s airport by his foster family and forced to survive on his own in a country he barely knew.
Andrew told TUKO.co.ke that he had grown up in Minnesota after being placed in foster care. His foster father was Kenyan from Kisii, while his foster mother was American.
Although they gave him a home, he said he often felt isolated as the only Black child in the family and struggled with discrimination and constant conflicts.
The family later travelled to Kenya to visit Andrew’s foster grandmother, who was seriously ill. After spending several weeks in Kisii, they headed to Nairobi for their return flight to the US.
According to Andrew, he was placed in a separate taxi from the rest of the family. When they reached the airport, they walked away and never came back for him.
Confused and alone, he waited for hours before accepting that he had been left behind. He eventually wandered into Nairobi’s central business district, where a security guard offered him food and a safe place to spend the night.
For months, Andrew survived by begging, doing casual jobs and searching for food wherever he could. His life took a turn when he met a man named John, who worked at the Dandora dumpsite. John welcomed him into his home, helped him return to school and treated him like family.
Financial challenges later forced Andrew to leave school and return to work. Today, he has a stable job handling customer calls and voice-over projects for a Kenyan entrepreneur. He also hopes to build a successful music career.
Despite the painful experiences he endured, Andrew says Kenya gave him a second chance through the kindness of strangers. He believes his difficult past will not stop him from pursuing a better future.