Jacob Bondori is a widower with three children in Muhuru town along the shores of Lake Victoria. Mr. Bodori was born in Ngore Village in Muhuru bay in Migori County some 52 years ago. In the course of that time he met a woman whom they bore the three children. In 2009 Mrs. Beatrice Bondori passed on living the husband to be fully in charge of the family.
By 2016, the children namely Harrison Bondori, Wickliffe Bondori, Mercy Bondori, and last born Vincent Bondori had grown in age to become 20, 18 15 and 13 years respectively. In the year 2013, Mr. Bondori fell blind, a condition he attributes to poor sanitation in the area. This meant disaster for the family. He began to beg support from relatives and friends but all was in vain. Jacob then started to engage his elder son in fishing, and second to collecting fingerlings along the beaches for some meagre wages. All the children left school and had to support the family in fending for the daily bread. Mr. Bondori only took back the two daughters to school late last year after he attended in passing a public forum organized by RAPADO to drum up local support, awareness and public sensitization on child labor. He got in touch with the LCLC members who have referred and linked him with the OVC cash transfer where he is receiving four thousand shillings every two months. The LCLC member continues to provide counseling services to the family.
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Luckily for Jacob the LCLC have also presented his needs before the Committee for funds for the elderly. .
He is also receiving goodwill support through RAPADOs eye care project to find out and correct the eye condition. In eye care RAPADO works in collaboration with the department of Health and the Brace clinic of Keya Relief organization. Jacqueline Ooko, The CCSCCL project officer at RAPADO spoke to Mercy Bondori, the second born daughter of the Bondoris. Here below is a narration of what she said.
“I started working for Omena business women separating fingerlings from unwanted matter when I was 8 years old. I was too young when my mother passed on. I did not really understand what was going on around my life. In fact we were doing it in a group of children that I thought it was okay, however I also felt I should have been going to school but I had no direction. My elder brother was struggling with the fishing occupation and he did not go through class eight. Similarly my sister that used to help me with the occupation of separating fingerlings the whole day got married. Life even got more difficult as accessing food, clothing education were becoming pipedreams. Occasionally I would go to school when the term begins but I would quickly drop out to fend for the family mainly my ailing father and my younger sister. I am happy since late last year I haven’t dropped out and my father has been supportive. At school a few teachers support me with assignments but others are harsh. I have a number of friends even though some children ridicule me that am the eldest in the classroom. My objective is to work hard and pass my exams and go to secondary school. I must appreciate my father who has a change of mind and ensures that I go to school continuously and my elder brother who nowadays provides for our basic needs.”
