- Andrew Nyawiri, a 23-year-old American citizen, claimed his foster family abandoned him at a Kenyan airport when he was just 13 years old
- Speaking to NGBREAKINGNEWS, he narrated how he found himself in Nairobi CBD and survived until he met John, who took him to Dandora
- He shared how he survived in Dandora, joined school but was unable to complete his education due to financial constraints until his story gained public attention
A 23-year-old man living in Nairobi has opened up about his heartbreaking journey after allegedly being abandoned at a Kenyan airport by his foster family when he was just 13 years old.
Source: Original
Speaking exclusively to NGBREAKINGNEWS Andrew Nyawiri, popularly known as Kenyan Andy, said he has spent the past nine years building a life in Kenya after arriving from Minnesota in the United States.
Andy said moving to Kenya was never a choice he made, but despite the painful circumstances that brought him here, he has no regrets. He said Kenya and its people gave him the sense of belonging he never experienced while growing up in the US.
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Andy revealed that he has no information about his biological parents, having been abandoned as a child in the United States before being taken to a children’s home.
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When he was six years old, a Kenyan man from Kisii and his American wife fostered him, giving him hope that he had finally found a family despite the challenges of being the only Black child in the household.
“I have been in Kenya for about nine years now. My foster dad was from Kisii while my foster mum was American, and I had white siblings. There were times I felt left out both within and outside the family. It felt like no one ever took my side, so I developed a habit of keeping everything to myself to avoid conflict. That affected me growing up,” he recalled.
Andy recounts being abandoned at a Kenyan airport
Nine years ago, Andy travelled to Kenya with his foster family after his foster father’s mother became terminally ill.
The family spent several weeks in Kisii before preparing to return to the United States. They packed their belongings and travelled to Nairobi, where they were due to catch their flight home.
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Andy recalled that life at home had become increasingly difficult because of frequent conflicts with his siblings.
“There was so much discrimination, and we were constantly fighting. I never felt supported. I thought my foster dad would sometimes stand up for me, but he rarely did. I also felt my foster mum had more influence in the family, so everyone followed what she wanted,” he said.
When they arrived in Nairobi, the rest of the family boarded one taxi while Andy was placed in another with people he did not know.
After arriving at the airport, everyone got out and left him behind.
At first, he believed they were simply running late. However, as the hours passed and darkness fell, he slowly realised he had been abandoned.
“He didn’t leave me at our home in Kisii because he would still have had to take care of me. I stayed at the airport for hours before eventually wandering away. I followed people until I found myself in Nairobi CBD,” he said.
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That night, a security guard offered him food and a safe place to sleep, becoming the first stranger to show him kindness.
How Andy survived life on Nairobi’s streets
With nowhere to go, the teenager was forced to survive on the streets by begging and doing odd jobs to earn enough for food.
He scavenged through rubbish bins for leftovers and slept in trenches during cold nights as he struggled to stay alive.
Eventually, he met members of the street community and formed a friendship with a man called John, who worked at the Dandora dumpsite.
“He found me singing outside a shop and noticed my accent. We talked for a long time after I shared my story. He bought me food, took me to where he lived in Dandora and introduced me to the dumpsite business,” Andy said.
John became the family Andy never had. He welcomed him into his home, introduced him to his relatives and even enrolled him in school while they earned a living working at the dumpsite.
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Unfortunately, financial challenges later forced Andy to leave school and return to work full-time until his story gained attention online years later.
Today, the 23-year-old works for a Kenyan entrepreneur who runs an auction business, handling customer calls and voice-over work.
“Since my story went viral, I’ve also done voice-over work. The person I work for has clients in Kenya and abroad. I’ve been handling calls and working from his office for about three months now,” he said.
Despite everything he has endured, Andy says he remains grateful to John, whose kindness gave him a family, friendship and hope when he had none.
Now, he dreams of building a successful music career and hopes to travel the world one day, proving that his painful past does not define his future.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oFi1X-aowM
Source: NGBREAKINGNEWS
