I am Peter Njuguna and I have grown from a boy to a man with Play Kenya. I simply love the job I do. Every day brings new joys and new challenges as I work closely with the boys who have recently come from the streets into rented houses and small businesses. Every day the boys are supported in the running of their businesses, relationships, cleanliness, and therapeutically supporting them to understand their addictions. Sometimes, I simply sit with them and share the load of mixed feelings as they begin to understand that they have again been taken from the brink of death and have an opportunity to grow old; something you can’t imagine when you sit on the streets day after day, as the world pretends not to see your desperation and pain, but always focuses on you if you step out of line.

I also work with some of the Mama’s and Babies in Play Kenya. These strong women have been scared and abused by men. I want them to know that not all men control. I know their fear because I have lived it through my own life. I want their babies to grow into a world where they feel the kindness of men and not the fists that beat their mamas.

I am learning my skills and I love the training we receive. I want to know more and more. I want to leave my positive mark in this world. I think I might have been born for this job. I think I might have lived my own nightmares to give a hand to those who are still in theirs.

My life has been transformed by the love and kindness that has been shared with me through this charity. I have learnt to trust people but also, I have learnt that there are many who pretend to care for their own glory. Because of Play Kenya I have a family who I love and who love me. I can’t tell you the joy that brings every time I think those words. I have learnt I belong. Love and kindness gave me hope; I will give that hope to many others.

I am learning to live a life that I always dreamt of. I love, I’m not sure that’s a strong enough word but it’s the one I’ll use, I love being a small part of the change in the brains of young men who have lived through more violence and abuse than you can ever imagine. I love the anticipation for them, and many to follow, once our plans are really underway. I love learning more and more in my want to understand why people are so cruel. Are we born cruel, or life makes us that way? Through my own work I believe bad things are done and said to us that makes us feel we are bad. Then I look into the innocent eyes of the babies that live on the streets and I know that we are born beautiful, with a hope and belief that we will be cared for and loved. That doesn’t always happen, but it needs to.

I am learning that it is something that was done to us that makes us this way. I know that kindness changes everything. I want to be part of a huge change, not just here in Nakuru, that shows us that everyone deserves to be loved. To learn that traumatic childhoods can be supported for these children to grow up to love and care for their own babies.

One of the things that I feel good about is delivering training and helping people to see that relationships and kindness change the world. Working with clever, smart, and caring people, and showing them that if you pause for a moment in your world, greet someone who is struggling, give them a kind word that comes from your heart, you will change how they see themselves in that moment. We don’t know the lives of others, but we do know how kindness feels to us. Be brave and share it.

Choose Kindness. Play Kenya changes the lives of those who don’t think they deserve kindness. One day I will learn to think kindly against all those who have abused me with words and actions. I am part of the world that is understanding that sometimes it’s hard to live in the present because of the pain of the past.

I love working here at Play Kenya. I have many words – I think I’ve learnt that from my Mum – but none that can tell you strong enough the importance of what we are doing. We love to hear from you, so feel free to comment below if you like what we do, or how we could do it better. Have a great day – Peter